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.



Gold Prices Dip on Profit-taking, US Data in Focus

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
TT

Gold Prices Dip on Profit-taking, US Data in Focus

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

Gold prices fell about 1% on Thursday as investors booked profits following a three-day rally, with markets eyeing US jobs data for clues on the Federal Reserve's rate path amid rising global trade tensions.

Spot gold, which dipped 0.5% to $2,904.51 an ounce as of 1211 GMT, has gained over 10% year-to-date. It hit a record high of $2,956.15 on February 24.

US gold futures also dropped 0.5% to $2,912.10.

"Gold seems to be experiencing profit-taking as investors closely watch tariff developments with prices trading toward $2,900 ahead of the non-farm payrolls report," Lukman Otunuga, senior research analyst at FXTM, said, Reuters reported.

Market focus is pinned on an escalating global trade war after the US imposed 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada on Tuesday along with fresh duties on Chinese goods.

Asian stocks rose as investors held out hope that trade tensions could ease after US President Donald Trump exempted some automakers from tariffs for a month.

Investors turn to gold as a safe haven asset when geopolitical and economic uncertainties loom.

"Unless there is a fresh direction catalyst, the current bearish price action may drag gold lower. Should prices break below the $2,900, this may signal further downside toward $2,880," Otunuga said.

The spotlight is on Friday's non-farm payrolls report, which is expected to show a gain of 160,000 jobs for February, economists polled by Reuters said.

Meanwhile, platinum prices were flat at $964.68 per ounce.

"We look for platinum to be undersupplied by 500,000 ounces, or 6.4% of demand, in 2025, keeping the metal in a deficit for a third consecutive year," UBS said in a note.

"Our market deficit should further reduce the above-ground inventories below 3 million ounces and help prices to move to USD 1,100/oz this year."

Spot silver dipped 0.7% to $32.39 an ounce and palladium shed 0.5% to $937.74.