Sukkari palm trees make up about 65 percent of the palms in Qassim, receiving special care from farmers and authorities RIYADH: Sukkari dates are in high demand at the Buraidah Dates Carnival, overshadowing other varieties at the bustling auction, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Both local and international consumers and traders favor Sukkari dates the most, followed by over 50 other Qassim date varieties. Sukkari dates are reasonably priced, ranging from SR30 ($8) to SR100 for a 3 kg package, making them popular for commercial purposes, Ramadan, and gifting. Sukkari palm trees make up about 65 percent of the palms in Qassim, receiving special care from farmers and authorities. These dates are prized for their nutritional value, quality, and long shelf life, making them easy to package, cool, and store. The carnival, hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and overseen by the National Center for Palms and Dates, is a major marketing outlet, handling over 1,000 vehicles loaded with dates daily. Many dates are sent to the export yard, covering 15,000 square meters, where they are packaged and exported to cities within the Kingdom and over 100 countries, including America, Europe, East Asia, and the Arab Gulf. Qassim produces over 390,000 tonnes of dates annually, with plans to surpass this by planting more than two million additional palm trees, contributing to Saudi Vision 2030 by boosting non-oil revenue. The export yard is a key hub for distributing dates domestically and abroad, with over 500 trucks departing daily, carrying more than 50 date varieties. Dates are distributed across the Kingdom and to specialized factories for sorting, packaging, and processing to meet export quality standards. The 51-day carnival, which started on Aug. 1, is expected to display the produce of more than 11.2 million palm trees in Qassim. In addition to the marketplace, the event includes a range of cultural, awareness-raising, social and entertainment programs, starting in September.