Olive and olive oil production in KSA

[pakdefender]

The Fig and the Olive are blessed fruits, as are all of Allah's creations blessed, but the Fig (Teen) and Olive(Zaytoon) are elevated since these have been mentioned by name at the start of Surah Teen in Holy Quran.

 

[al-Hasani]

Something I learned today....Didn't know that olive trees grow in KSA due to the harsh hot climate...Thx El Hassani!

Olive trees are NATIVE to the Northern regions of KSA my friend.

KSA is a HUGE country. There are different climates across the country. Some areas are hot nearly all of the year while others are mild all of the year. It depends whether we are talking about the mountain regions, the hilly areas, the hundreds of wadis, steppes, the rocky deserts, sand deserts, volcanic areas, lowlands, north, south, west or east of the country etc.

Large parts of Northwest Saudi Arabia are actually bordering the Levant region and some were historically part of it even. The Mediterranean Sea is not located far away.

There are agricultural areas in the beautiful Al-Jawf province, Ha'il Province and Al-Qassim province that are bigger than some countries aside from all the agricultural areas in the southern provinces such as the Al-Baha, Jazan, Asir and Najran provinces where tropical fruits such as coffee, tea, banana, ananas etc. is grown without problems.

I don't know about the total number of olive trees in Saudi Arabia but I believe that the number is close to 20-25 million trees. There are 14 million olive trees in the Al-Jawf province alone and 6 million more olive trees are to be planted in the near future. You can also see that in the article I posted in this thread. Also KSA is in the top 25 of the world's top producers of olive oil and olives. The production is only going to grow rapidly since there are huge agricultural areas where olive oil can grow without a problem.

Local fruits of KSA:

Production of bananas and other tropical fruits are ancient in KSA but growing, especially in the South and West where they grow naturally.

You are welcome to visit the "Saudi Arabia in pictures" thread below:

Saudi Arabia in Pictures | Page 43

What are the temperature ranges of this region ?
I have plan to try olive trees in my fields. Its extreme hot region of Pakistan with almost upto 48° - 49°C in summer but then 5° to 10°C in January

From minus in the winter (some days even with snowfall) to 35-40° in the summer. Those regions are located in hilly terrain (700-800 meter above sea level) and that also has its influences for the climate.

I believe that the daily temperature overall (whole year) is about 27° degrees in Sakakah which is the capital of the al-Jawf province.

The city is 4000 years old btw.

Sakakah - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I am afraid that 48-49° is too hot for olive trees to survive. But I am not sure.

 

[al-Hasani]

@leon

Ok, I was thinking about your question now when I took a quick look at this thread. Can you tell me exactly where you live in Pakistan or at least the region?
Even better don't you have climate data for your region/town etc.? Do you know if your region/town has a lot of groundwater or lacks it?

One thing more that I forgot to tell you about. Some rain is important but it is even more important that there is plenty of groundwater below the ground.
All of Northern KSA has groundwater in abundance since the groundwater/rainfall is flowing down from the Hijaz and Najd plateau which is located higher than this part of Northern Saudi Arabia despite that part being located approximately 500-800 meters above sea level itself.

That is why you have approximately 20.000 farms around Sakakah and that part of the Al-Jawf province.

 

[al-Hasani]

I never knew there were olive trees in Saudi Arabia, I didn't think they could grow them due to very hot temperatures. From pictures I have seen Saudi Arabia looks like a very clean and modern country with no poverty and dirtiness I would love to visit one day but I don't know if they will allow me in the country since I am a Kurd.

I can refer to my post number 17 in this thread which I just saw that you thanked.

You are very welcome to visit. Now that the government has decided to introduce tourist visas and focus more on the tourism sector in order to boost the economy further it will be much easier to visit the country for non-nationals.

See more here below:

Tourist visas to be introduced in KSA

Excuse me but why should Kurds not be welcome in KSA?! We have no problem with Kurds and never had. There are Kurdish people living in KSA. I don't think that we have ever been in any conflict with Kurds?

I believe that every visitor is welcome in KSA as long as they are not causing a danger.

KSA has 13 million visitors each year. Despite having one of the strictest visa rules. A majority are obviously Muslim pilgrims.

Anyway you are welcome to visit this thread below if you are more curious:

Saudi Arabia in Pictures | Page 44

 

[Bahoz]

There is olive and olive oil production in Hassakah too. The climate and the landscape look very similar to the one in Saudi Arabia. I might be wrong though.

 

[al-Hasani]

There is olive and olive oil production in Hassakah too. The climate and the landscape look very similar to the one in Saudi Arabia. I might be wrong though.

I don't know about the Hassakah region but what I know is that the Al-Jawf province (which is over half the size of all of Syria) and North-Western Saudi Arabia in general is very similar to the Levant region that it borders so there is definitely similarity.

The Levant region is famous for its olive oil production and olive trees are very much native to that region as well as to neighboring Northwestern KSA.

 

[Arabian Legend]

I never knew there were olive trees in Saudi Arabia, I didn't think they could grow them due to very hot temperatures. From pictures I have seen Saudi Arabia looks like a very clean and modern country with no poverty and dirtiness I would love to visit one day but I don't know if they will allow me in the country since I am a Kurd.

Welcome boy any time.

 

[asad71]

The general concept held by outsiders that Saudi Arabia is all desert and sand is really wrong.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Recent review of Saudia's map revealed enormous projects for Farming and the size for these is almost upto size of a small size city that has been artificially cultivated.

These area stand out oddly in desert as they are artificially cultivated using sea water

Origionally you assume that the size of project is small as size of Saudi Region is large but when you do a comparison these are vast areas , right in middle of desert

 

[al-Hasani]

I thought Arabs in general didn't favor Kurds too much that is why.

Never heard about Arabs having any kind of problems with Kurds outside of Syria and Iraq due to the conflicts between the ethnic groups there.

I can certainly tell you that there is absolutely no problems in KSA. None whatsoever. In KSA you have people from all Arab countries living and the world. Some nationals due to migrations many, many years ago and some non-nationals. We are a diverse in that element too.

Besides Arab-Kuridsh marriages have been really common in Iraq and Syria for decades as you might already know.

 

[Armstrong]

When Prophet Muhammad (saws) established a market in Madinah where the people would be free from taxation, one of Prophet Muhammad's (saws) motives was the desire to benefit two different classes of Prophet Muhammad (saws) followers from two different regions of Arabia. One group were the Muhajirun, who where from Makkah and they were primarily merchants and traders. The other group, the Ansar were from Madinah and they were farmers.

So Prophet Muhammad (saws) knew the importance of agriculture and farmers.

What taxation are you referring to ?

To the best of my knowledge there was no Taxation during the time of the Prophet (PBUH) or the first 4 Caliphs except the Zakat !

 

[al-Hasani]

What taxation are you referring to ?

To the best of my knowledge there was no Taxation during the time of the Prophet (PBUH) or the first 4 Caliphs except the Zakat !

I was talking about the taxation before Prophet Muhammad (saws) abolished it.

 

[Bahoz]

Never heard about Arabs having any kind of problems with Kurds outside of Syria and Iraq due to the conflicts between the ethnic groups there.

I can certainly tell you that there is absolutely no problems in KSA. None whatsoever. In KSA you have people from all Arab countries living and the world. Some nationals due to migrations many, many years ago and some non-nationals. We are a diverse in that element too.

Besides Arab-Kuridsh marriages have been really common in Iraq and Syria for decades as you might already know.

Not to turn this off topic. But there is actually no tension between Kurds and Arabs in Syria. They have actually lived peacefully even during the oppressive Assad regime.

Tension in Iraq yes. But I am sure you know why and it even dates back to the days of Saddam. It is political tension and not so much ethnic tension.

 

[khail007]

I spent some of my life in south 'ASSER REGION - Khamis Mushayat'. If I am not wrong the coldest part of KSA. In winters even there are hails, we used to operate heaters of our vehicles. To melt the overnight icing on windscreen we use to pour some lukewarm water. Very calm, scenic and beautiful place.
Agricultural area; pomegranate are one of the sweetest in the worlds. Plenty of camping areas 'Hablah, Soodah and Qarah' with full facility of toilets, lighting, benches, electrical out-lets and barbeque fire places; It was back in 1982-92 - any such camping areas always divided in family and bachelor areas.

 

[al-Hasani]

I spent some of my life in south 'ASSER REGION - Khamis Mushayat'. If I am not wrong the coldest part of KSA. In winters even there are hails, we used to operate heaters of our vehicles. To melt the overnight icing on windscreen we use to pour some lukewarm water. Very calm, scenic and beautiful place.
Agricultural area; pomegranate are one of the sweetest in the worlds. Plenty of camping areas 'Hablah, Soodah and Qarah' with full facility of toilets, lighting, benches, electrical out-lets and barbeque fire places; It was back in 1982-92 - any such camping areas always divided in family and bachelor areas.

That sounds really interesting. Thank you for sharing this. The time period you are talking about is way before I was born. Nice to know that it was great back then as well.

Yes, that area of KSA is very beautiful but it is not the coldest. Generally speaking the northern regions/provinces of KSA are colder especially during winter. But during summer the mountainous regions of KSA are colder despite being located much more southernly.

Yes, the agricultural areas are in abundance. Coffee, tea, banana, ananas and other tropical fruits are growing there without any problems and are even native. The watermelons are especially great and so are the oranges and citrus fruits.

I don't like pomegranate so I have not tasted those but they grow in most of KSA.

You might see those places you spent some time in below in this thread:

Saudi Arabia in Pictures | Page 44