How sustainable water use is helping Saudi rose farms become a global industry
JEDDAH: Pink roses grown in Saudi Arabia are loved throughout the Arabian Peninsula for their professional cultivation, vibrant color, attractive fragrance and the many luxury products derived from their petals, which constitute a multi-million dollar industry.
Two types of pink roses are cultivated in the Kingdom – the Medina rose, which has a light pink blush and grows all year round, blooming in warm and cool climates, and the Taif rose, also known as Johri or Damask rose, which only grows in spring.
Taif produces more than 550 million flowers each harvest season, which lasts 45 to 60 days. Rose picking season usually starts in late March or early April.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, 910 rose farms cover an area of 270 hectares and grow about 1.14 million bushes in areas such as Al-Hada, Al-Shifa, Wadi Muharram, Al-Wahat and Al-Wahit.
The products derived from these flowers are widely popular, with a domestic market value of SR 64 million ($17 million).
Considered a hallmark of the region's natural beauty, Taif roses are known for their exquisite sweet fragrance, bright pink hues, and delicate petals. Cultivated at high altitudes, these roses thrive in a region with low temperatures and fertile soil.
Roses bloom in Taif every spring, turning the desert corners of the Kingdom into fragrant pink patches. (AFP photo)
More than 60 farms and the families that run them participate in the region's annual Rose Festival, usually in April and May, where they showcase their produce over five days of festivities.
These fragrant crops have turned the mountain governorate into the rose capital of the world, which won a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2022 for the largest basket of roses, containing 84,450 flowers.
To develop the industry, the Ministry of Environment, Water Resources and Agriculture has launched several projects, including the rehabilitation of agricultural terraces, the application of rainwater harvesting technologies and the Sustainable Agriculture Development Program.
A Saudi woman photographs a rose garden at Bin Salman Farm in Taif on March 13, 2021 (AFP photo)
The ministry also supports specialized agricultural cooperatives, including the recently established association “Rose-aromatic plants”. This support allows them to invest in ministerial lands, produce aromatic oils and benefit from the Agricultural Development Fund.
“The ministry is working on several initiatives and plans to achieve global leadership in Taif rose production and increase production to 2 billion roses by 2026,” Saleh Bindahil, spokesman for the Ministry of Environment, Water Resources and Agriculture, told Arab News.
ARE YOUKNOW?
• Taif produces more than 550 million flowers each harvest season, which lasts 45-60 days.
• On the territory of 270 hectares, 910 farms in the west of the Kingdom grow 1.14 million bushes.
• The value of products derived from rose oil in the domestic market is SR 64 million ($17 million).
A group of horticulturists from the Department of Agriculture was recently sent to Bulgaria, the Philippines and Thailand to learn about the latest technology in the production of rose oil and environmentally friendly farming methods.
Farmers receive expert advice on best agricultural practices, and dedicated pest control teams respond promptly to requests for pesticide spraying to protect crops from potential threats.
A tourist takes a photo with Taif roses at Bin Salman Farm in Taif city on March 13, 2021. (AFP)
The ministry also manages the construction of necessary water infrastructure, including reservoirs and barriers, and promotes the creation of irrigation networks to boost agricultural activity.
Underscoring the importance of sustainable practices, the ministry encourages small-scale rose growers to use and implement best agricultural practices, providing them with valuable information on the use of advanced technologies and optimal rose production practices, including essential oil extraction within the value chain. developmental approach.
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“Taif governorate has long been recognized as the ideal and original environment for Taif rose bushes,” Bindahil said.
“Generations have cared for these roses, passing on the traditions of harvesting, distilling and extracting rose oil and water. They enjoyed the fragrant history of these roses in the mild, cool climate and mountainous nature at the top of the famous Jabal Ghazwan.”
One of the uses of rose water obtained from Taif roses is to wash the Kaaba in Mecca every year, a traditional practice supported by the Saudi Arabian government.
The distillation process, which lasts between nine and 12 hours, is carried out using tightly sealed copper pots. (AFP photo)
The Kingdom has many factories and workshops that extract and manufacture more than 80 rose-derived products, producing a variety of aromatic products and body care products.
The rose industry plays a significant role in regional development and local economies, providing many job and marketing opportunities and encouraging more women into the workforce.
To extract rose oil, bags of thousands of rose petals are poured into 90-liter copper pots, which are then sealed tightly for a distillation process that lasts from 9 to 12 hours.
The oil extract requires 45,000 roses, which are then bottled in 12 milliliter bottles. (AFP photo)
To obtain an oil extract, 45 thousand roses are required, which are then poured into bottles of 12 milliliters, the price of which, depending on the season, starts from 400 dollars.
Al-Kamal, founded in 1831, is the oldest factory in the Kingdom to produce rose cosmetics and cleansers. Located in Al Hada in Medina, it is run by Khalid Al Kamal, whose family has worked at the firm for generations.
“It is a hereditary career from father to son — from one generation to another — and I am very proud to tell you that I am the seventh generation to inherit this legacy,” Al-Kamal said in an interview. yu Arab News in 2021.
A view of the entrance to the Al Kamal Rose Factory in Taif. (Shutterstock)
“Working in the field of growing roses requires great delicacy, because the quality of roses is affected by the soil and weather, as well as the method of cultivation. I learned from my ancestors, and now the factory is run by my three sons along with a few workers.”
With many new government investments in the pipeline, which promotes the rational use of water resources, Saudi Arabia's rose industry will undoubtedly continue to flourish in the years to come.
