Saudi grows rice, tea, pistachios and saffron on his Tabarjal farm

Abu Dhabi: Saudi farmer Salem Al Sharari from Al Nabek Abu Qasr in Tabarjal, a major town in northern Saudi Arabia, near Qurayyat in the Al Jawf region, has succeeded in growing tea, rice, pistachio and saffron on his farm, local media reported.

Al Sharari told Okaz he had the idea of cultivating rice, tea, pistachios and saffron on mind for a long time.

“Due to the fertility and quality of Tabarjal’s agricultural lands, the abundance of its ground water and the success of cultivating agricultural crops, palms, olives, as well as all kinds of vegetables and fruits, that was the most important reason and motivation for the experiment that succeeded, thank God, and production began,” he said.

Al Sharari added he was keenly interested in spreading the word about the successful experiment to stimulate other farmers, “because this cultivation needs special care and attention”.

He said the production of rice was about 100 kilos at the beginning of experiment, and indicated that he had started expanding the basins for future cultivation.