RIYADH: A total of 18 million olive and palm trees have been planted in Saudi Arabia’s northern Jouf region in line with the Saudi Green Initiative. With its fertile soil and moderate climate, Jouf is the biggest producer of olive olive and is home to vast orchards holding millions of trees. Also known as the “food basket of the Kingdom,” the region is far ahead of the world in the production of olive oil and holds a Guinness record for the vast area used for olive tree plantation. Olive trees in Jouf produce more than 10,000 tons of oil and 15,000 kg of table olives. “Planting olive trees is a strategic option in line with SGI and Saudi Vision 2030, to achieve food sufficiency and stimulate investment,” olive expert Bassam Al-Aweesh said. “Olive trees will increase the vegetation cover, in order to improve climate,” he said.