JEDDAH: The inaugural AlUla citrus fruit festival is about to get underway at AlMahkar Farm and growers from across the region are gearing up to show off their produce. The event will be held on Jan. 7-8 and Jan. 14-15, and people from all over the Kingdom are expected to attend. On display will be Jaffa, Baladi and Abo Surra oranges, torounge, clementines, mandarins, sweet lemons, limes, grapefruits, pomelos, kumquats and citrons picked from 200,000 trees across AlUla. The festival is part of the Royal Commission for AlUla’s efforts to boost economic growth through community initiatives and development projects. Eighty-year-old Wedad Shuqair told Arab News she had been growing citrus fruits in the area for many years. The trees are mostly fed by groundwater, which makes the region “fruitful,” she said. “They only need watering once a week, so they are easy to take care of,” she added. Citrus fruits are a vital part of people’s diets in many Arabian communities due to their health benefits, like being rich in vitamin C. They are also a key ingredient in popular dishes like Kabsa. According to Shuqair, while AlUla produces many types of citrus fruits, the area is the only place in Saudi Arabia where sweet lemons are grown. “The land of AlUla is very fertile for any type of fruit,” she said, adding that she always shares her produce with her sons and grandsons in Riyadh. The citrus harvest season is an important cultural and economic event for AlUla, with local people enjoying the new crops and growers shipping their produce to buyers in neighboring cities like Medina, Al Wajh, Hail and Tabouk. Mubarak Al-Enizi, who has 250 fruit trees in the region, was also full of praise for its famous produce. “What makes AlUla citrus fruit different is the high quality and good taste,” he told Arab News, adding that the upcoming festival would help to promote the region’s produce across the Kingdom and beyond. “As farmers, we truly need such initiatives, so that a wider audience of investors and consumers get to know about us and about our special products,” he said. The art of nurturing citrus fruits in AlUla had been passed down over generations, he added. “It’s thanks to our fathers and grandfathers who taught us about the secrets of the craft.” As well as the fruit on offer, visitors to the festival will be able to enjoy a range of family-friendly activities and interactive experiences, including cooking with local citrus fruits. French chef Keiko Nagae, who is known for creating healthy fruit-based desserts, will also be giving live demonstrations at the event.