Buraydah: The grape season that came amid the frenzy of the date festival brought double sweetness to the province of Qasem. A large number of families come every day to see the grape festival held in the village near Swalbiya village on Buraida Hail road and to buy grapes of different colors and flavors. Visiting time at the fair is from 5 PM to 12 PM.
Six varieties of grapes, varying in color and size, arrive at the festival town every hour from nearby orchards. The festival will end on the 13th of this month, but in the region’s vineyards, the harvest, which began in the last week of June, will continue until the end of August.
About 20,000 tons of grapes reach the market from the vineyards of Svalbard every year. During this season, grapes are transported from here to markets including Dammam, Riyadh, Taif and Makkah. Muhammad Alfaridi, the owner of the main vineyard and one of the main organizers of the fair, said that the fertile soil and the availability of fresh water provide opportunities for abundant grape cultivation. White, black and rose colored grapes are mainly produced here.
He also explains that the quality is good compared to other grape products in the world market. Grape juice without any ingredients is also available in the city. The natives are also buying grape seedlings from Melanagari to try on their farms. The organizers said that the Ministry of Agriculture and the Governorate are giving all encouragement and support to the grape cultivation in the area. A week ago Qasim Governor Amir Dr. Faisal bin Mishal bin Saud visited the festival city.