Rome: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has achieved a new international milestone in the food sector, as the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), during its 48th session held from November 10 to 14 at the FAO headquarters in Rome, adopted the first international standard for fresh dates. This achievement took place while the Kingdom was co-chairing the working group responsible for developing the standard, according to a press release issued by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) today.
According to Saudi Press Agency, this global adoption reflects the Kingdom’s leading position in the dates sector, where it is the world’s largest exporter of dates, and highlights its influential role in shaping international standards. It also underscores the active role of the SFDA in strengthening the international food standards system and enabling Saudi products to compete effectively in global markets.
The standard was developed through close coordination between the SFDA and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, building upon cooperation among national entities involved in the dates sector. This collaboration aims to strengthen the Kingdom’s international presence and support the national economy by improving export efficiency and enhancing the global value of Saudi dates.
The release added that the new international standard aims to raise the quality and safety of dates and facilitate their international trade by establishing unified and comprehensive specifications that harmonize food standards among member states, enhancing the reliability of date trading in global markets.
The SFDA affirmed that this achievement reflects the Kingdom’s technical and regulatory expertise in developing international standards. It added that adopting this standard will support the competitiveness of Saudi dates and expand their global reach, positively impacting the national economy and non-oil exports. The effort aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to solidify the Kingdom’s position as a global hub for date production and trade.
