Riyadh festival gathers roses, coffee and honey from across KSA

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture is hosting the Taif Roses, Coffee, and Honey Festival at the ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh, bringing the Kingdom’s farmers and producers under one hub.

“The Ministry of Environment has been so supportive of this festival by offering us farmers this invitation to participate. I am very thankful for their empowerment in my project,” Sarah Al-Malki, owner of Khayrh, said.

Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, minister for environment, water and agriculture, inaugurated the festival on March 29. It will conclude on March 31.

The festival has welcomed rose, coffee and honey farmers from across the Kingdom. It is one of the biggest festivals the ministry has organized, with more than 90 farmers and producers participating from various regions of the Kingdom.

Al-Malki is a new presence in the coffee bean industry and a farm owner in Jazan.

She said that owning a business has always been a dream of hers, which she fulfilled after starting her small farm three years ago.

The owner said that Khayrh offers several coffee roasts, including a Saudi roast, green coffee roast, espresso roasts and more.

“The beans come from the mountains in Jazan and are 100 percent Saudi,” she added.

SR cosmetics is another unique brand that was recently launched in Riyadh by two young Saudi women. The brand utilizes beeswax in a unique and environmentally friendly way, reducing waste.

“All of our products are made using beeswax and are natural and safe for everyone to use,” Sara Abdullah, one of SR cosmetics’s founders, said.

Their range focuses on products for the body and face, including natural soaps, waxes, cosmetic tints and scrubs.

“Many farmers find that they have no use for the wax that is leftover from the bee honey production and they are left to throw it to waste,” Abdullah said.

The co-owner said that rather than letting beeswax go to waste, SR cosmetics have created products that benefit others.

“The festival experience was something incredible. We came here early and benefited greatly from the visitors, and we were very thankful,” Abdullah said.

One of the honey farmers from Abha at the festival, Faleh Al-Shahrani, was recently awarded for his product during the 2021 London International Honey Competition.

But Al-Shahrani remains humble despite his success and produces honey in a sustainable and local manner.

“We specialize in various types of honey production from the southern region of the Kingdom,” he said.

“The market for honey is there, and thankfully the sales are going well. There is a demand for honey; there will always be a demand for honey in Saudi Arabia,” Al-Shahrani added.

Mohammed Al-Harthi, a Taif rose farmer, displayed more than 20 products at the festival, including perfumes, lotion, oils, powders and soaps, all naturally sourced from the oils of his farms.

“The festival hosted by the Ministry of Environment allows farmers to introduce their products to a new market of people, and in the future, this will help our businesses," Al-Harthi, owner of Koban farms, told Arab News.

“We have been making our products for more than 20 years. Thankfully, now our farms provide the four necessary oils for perfumes, including Taif flower oil, Khozama oils, Sultani oils and lavender oils,” he added.

The festival is open to the public, allowing visitors to buy naturally produced and locally sourced products from across the Kingdom.