Saudi Gazette report

TAIF — Taif roses are at the top of the list of aromatic plants and one of the agricultural and cultural treasures that Saudi Arabia is proud of.

It’s considered a symbol of agricultural identity and their fragrant scent spreads throughout Saudi Arabia. Their harvest season begins at the beginning of March and continues for about 45 days, which attracts many rose lovers and perfume makers from inside and outside Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture affirmed its interest in supporting Taif rose cultivation and its processing industry to enhance agricultural sustainability and develop the national economy.

This support is provided by the Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Program (Rural Saudi Arabia) and funding from the Agricultural Development Fund. More than 400 farms receive support from the program, contributing to the provision of numerous job and marketing opportunities.

The "Saudi Rural" program has provided support to numerous development projects in rose processing industry to open up investment prospects in them. Perfume extraction factories, smart field schools based on artificial intelligence, in and tissue culture laboratories to improve the quality of rose production are some of them.

Taif is a major home for rose cultivation, with more than 910 rose farms spread across the heights of Al Hada and Al Shafa Mountains, Wadi Mahram, Al Talhat, Wadi Al Aamq, Wadi Al Bani, Bilad Tuwairiq, and Al Mukhadha. The cultivated area exceeds 193 hectares, which produce more than 960 million roses or 2,437 tons annually.

The Ministry of Environment seeks to preserve natural resources and support the Taif rose processing industry, which extracts and manufactures a variety of derivatives, such as essential oils, rose water, and cosmetics and body care products. These products are widely popular in the market, combining cultural heritage with promising investment opportunities.