RIYADH: The Grape and Pomegranate Festival will begin on Wednesday under the patronage of Prince Saud bin Nahar Al-Saud, governor of Taif, with various activities at Al-Hokair Park. The festival aims to highlight the diversity of seasonal agricultural products in Taif governorate and to support farmers and encourage them to market their agricultural products. The festival includes a display of grape and pomegranate crops and products, as well as activities on the festival stage over four days. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Khalif, director general of the branch of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in the Makkah region, said that the festival was held under the supervision of the ministry in Taif. The director of the ministrys office in Taif, Hani bin Abdul Rahman Al-Qadi, stressed the ministry’s keenness to support farmers and encourage them to increase production, in addition to highlighting the importance of marketing their agricultural products through festivals. Al-Khalif and Al-Qadi said that they appreciated the interest of the governor of Taif in developing the agricultural sector, supporting stimulating initiatives to increase agricultural production, and his sponsorship of the Taif Grape and Pomegranate Festival. Fruits such as figs, cherries, grapes and pomegranates are among the well-known produce grown in Taif. Roses, which are grown on more than 700 farms, are another well-known export.