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Saudi Reef Targets Producing Two Billion Roses Annually by 2026

Saudi Reef Targets Producing Two Billion Roses Annually by 2026
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Saudi Reef Targets Producing Two Billion Roses Annually by 2026

Saudi Reef Targets Producing Two Billion Roses Annually by 2026

The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program (Saudi Reef) is showcasing its achievements in developing the rose and aromatic plant sector during its participation as a co-sponsor in the Rose and Aromatic Plants Global Forum, currently being held in Taif Governorate.
The program highlights its efforts to develop this vital sector in line with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030, particularly in enhancing food security, improving rural areas, and enhancing agricultural production efficiency, SPA reported.
Saudi Reef Assistant Secretary-General for Media and Communication Majed Al-Buraikan stressed that the program’s participation in the forum aligns with national efforts to empower rose and aromatic plant farmers and aims to promote the program’s initiatives in this field. He noted that the Saudi Reef is a strategic partner in achieving sustainable agricultural transformation, especially in regions known for producing Taif roses and aromatic plants such as Jazan and Aseer.
Al-Buraikan pointed out that the program supports more than 400 farmers and has recorded a 34% increase in rose production over the past four years, reaching 960 million roses annually. It aims to achieve an annual production of two billion roses by 2026, boosting the Kingdom’s position in regional and global markets as a leading producer of roses.

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Injured Seals Get Care and Sanctuary at a New Center in the Netherlands 

A seal swims in a tank at the new seal sanctuary in Lauwersoog, northern Netherlands, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP)
A seal swims in a tank at the new seal sanctuary in Lauwersoog, northern Netherlands, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP)
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Injured Seals Get Care and Sanctuary at a New Center in the Netherlands 

A seal swims in a tank at the new seal sanctuary in Lauwersoog, northern Netherlands, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP)
A seal swims in a tank at the new seal sanctuary in Lauwersoog, northern Netherlands, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP)

Gliding gracefully through the waters at his new home, Witje pauses briefly to peer through a large window at the curious and admiring visitors.

The 4-month-old gray seal is a lucky survivor able to swim in one of nine new tanks at the World Heritage Center, or WEC, a recently opened seal rescue facility in Lauwersoog, in the north of the Netherlands.

He was brought in after being orphaned and was suffering from a swollen flipper and a damaged eye.

“On a yearly basis, we roughly treat about 200 seals,” Sander van Dijk, the curator of the center, told The Associated Press. In 2024, researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands counted around 24,000 seals across the Wadden Sea.

Most are pups who get separated from their mother, known as howlers for their plaintive wailing. Others are injured by floating debris or are struck by passing vessels.

“If we look at our own data over the past 15 years, we just see every year more seals that somehow get entangled in waste in the sea, mostly fishing nets,” Van Dijk said.

The WEC, which officially opened to the public Saturday, replaces the Pieterburen Seal Center, a rescue facility set up in 1971 to treat injured seals found in and around the nearby Wadden Sea, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Witje’s tank is an upgrade from his previous quarters. He gets to swim in water directly from the sea, rather than tap water, in order to maintain a habitat as close as possible to the seals’ natural environment.

“They are adapted to living in seawater. It’s good for their fur. But also seawater, through its salt, has some properties that makes wounds heal faster,” Van Dijk said.

The WEC can treat around 70 seals at a time and has 12 intensive-care units for animals with serious injuries who are able to recover in special enclosures which offer a calm environment. They are prevented from swimming in order to rest and the space is cleaned frequently to prevent infections from waste.

The new building, which cost over 40 million euros ($45 million), with financing provided by local and regional governments as well as charitable organizations, tells more than just the story of the seas. It’s an educational space which teaches visitors about the Wadden Sea, the largest continuous system of intertidal flats in the world, extending along the coasts of the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark.

The new facility is significantly closer to the sea than the previous location. The tanks for the 10 seals currently residing at WEC look out over the water. Caregivers at the center are optimistic that Witje will soon recover enough to be released back into the waves.