AlUla Agrees to Enhance Palm, Date Production Ahead of Global Promotion

The Royal Commission for AlUla signs an MoU to enhance the palm and date sector. (SPA)
The Royal Commission for AlUla signs an MoU to enhance the palm and date sector. (SPA)
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AlUla Agrees to Enhance Palm, Date Production Ahead of Global Promotion

The Royal Commission for AlUla signs an MoU to enhance the palm and date sector. (SPA)
The Royal Commission for AlUla signs an MoU to enhance the palm and date sector. (SPA)

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Center for Palms and Dates (NCPD) to boost the palm and date sector.

The MoU also aims to achieve production efficiency from AlUla dates, ahead of promoting them locally and internationally.

The agreement includes improving the quality of the palm and dates sector in AlUla to produce crops of high economic value.

It also studies the establishment of centers dedicated to providing services to farmers, setting up workshops for them and those interested, and enabling distributors to market their produce through e-commerce.

Agriculture is one of the main economic sectors included in the Journey Through Time Masterplan, which aligns with the Vision for AlUla, and is in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to promote sustainable development in the governorate by investing all available factors in creating a diverse and prosperous economy.

Under the memorandum, the two parties will work to enhance understanding in their familiar fields, including inviting investors and those interested in the palm and dates sector to participate in the annual festival of dates in AlUla.

In addition, it includes presenting distinguished business models for existing facilities and services and motivating AlUla farmers to obtain the Saudi dates mark.

CEO of the National Center for Palms and Dates Mohammad al-Nuwairan said AlUla farms have a qualitative production center for many types of dates, which are very popular in the local and international market.

AlUla boasts more than two million palm trees with production exceeding 90,000 tons of dates annually.



Oil Edges up on Potential US Tariff Exemptions on Cars, Pick-up in China Crude Imports 

A general view of oil tanks located near the Teltowkanal canal in Berlin, Germany, 10 April 2025. (EPA)
A general view of oil tanks located near the Teltowkanal canal in Berlin, Germany, 10 April 2025. (EPA)
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Oil Edges up on Potential US Tariff Exemptions on Cars, Pick-up in China Crude Imports 

A general view of oil tanks located near the Teltowkanal canal in Berlin, Germany, 10 April 2025. (EPA)
A general view of oil tanks located near the Teltowkanal canal in Berlin, Germany, 10 April 2025. (EPA)

Oil prices inched higher on Tuesday, supported by new tariff exemptions floated by US President Donald Trump and a rebound in China crude oil imports in anticipation of tighter Iranian supply.

Brent crude futures gained 12 cents, or 0.2%, to $65 per barrel by 0350 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was up 13 cents, or 0.2%, to $61.66.

"Trump granted exemptions on electronic tariffs and signaled an auto tariff relief, both of which are seen as setbacks from the previously announced import levies, hence, providing some relief to risk assets, including oil," said independent market analyst Tina Teng.

"However, the rally in stocks and growth-sentiment commodities is skeptical, as his policy is unpredictable."

In the latest development in Trump's whipsawing trade war, he said he was considering a modification to the 25% tariffs imposed on foreign auto and auto parts imports from Mexico, Canada and other places.

The vacillating US trade policies have created uncertainty for global oil markets and pushed OPEC on Monday to lower its demand outlook for the first time since December.

The Trump administration had announced on Friday that it would grant exclusions from tariffs on smartphones, computers and some other electronic goods, most of which are imported from China. That drove both oil benchmarks to settle up slightly higher on Monday.

On Sunday, Trump said he would announce the tariff rate on imported semiconductors over the next week and a Monday Federal Register filing showed the administration had begun an investigation into imports of semiconductors on April 1.

"The market is digesting fast-moving policy developments on the tariff front, while balancing them with nuclear talks between the US and Iran," said ING analysts in a Tuesday note.

"Clearly, the market is more focused on tariffs and what they mean for oil demand."

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Friday the United States could stop Iranian oil exports as part of Trump's plan to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program.

Also supporting prices were data on Monday showing that China's crude oil imports in March were up nearly 5% from a year earlier, as arrivals of Iranian oil surged in anticipation of tighter US sanctions enforcement.