RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Mansour Al-Mushaiti, says that the Kingdom’s coffee industry has undergone a qualitative shift over the past decade, growing from a local to global scale. The remarks were made during his speech at the opening ceremony of the International Saudi Coffee Exhibition on Wednesday in Jazan, Saudi Press Agency reported. There are over 2,000 coffee farms in the Jazan region producing more than 1,000 tons of coffee a year, according to the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Al-Mushaiti described the coffee exhibition as a pivotal platform for advancing the industry, offering specialized training for coffee farmers, workshops and cultural and artistic gatherings aimed at bolstering the regions’ coffee cultivation. The Jazan Development Strategic Office organized the exhibition to share farming knowledge and best practices, to support initiatives aimed at encouraging coffee cultivation in the region, and to help accelerate Jazan’s transformation into a global trade hub. Al-Mushaiti also emphasized the agricultural sector’s pivotal role in boosting national development. The minister highlighted the focus on coffee projects, reflecting the diverse agricultural landscape of Saudi Arabia’s southwestern region. Initiatives include plans for new coffee processing facilities in the Al-Dayer governorate, model coffee nurseries across Jazan and Asir, as well as a pioneering coffee city in Al-Baha. The Kingdom’s Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program has provided more than SR155 million ($41.3 million) to 7,256 beneficiaries across various agricultural industries, with coffee farmers constituting a significant portion of these. Local farmers at the exhibition told SPA that cultivating and harvesting coffee beans is a fun activity for them and their families, and that they inherited their fathers’ enthusiasm for the job. Coffee cultivation, they said, requires patience because one tree takes three to four years to produce fruit. They noted that the ministry assists them in increasing coffee production, encouraging other farmers to follow in their footsteps.