Saudi Arabia To Boost Local Coffee With 50,000 New Seedlings In 2025; Details Inside

Saudi Arabia has brewed up something big. Under the Saudi Agricultural Rural Development Program, known as Saudi Reef, the country has kicked off a bold initiative: to plant 50,000 new coffee seedlings and increase the productivity of local coffee trees by 30 per cent before the end of 2025.

Saudi Arabia Plans to Plant 50,000 Coffee Seedlings By 2025

This push isn’t just about sipping better coffee. It’s part of a national strategy to strengthen food security and give the agricultural sector a stronger place in the economy. Saudi Reef is one of the government’s flagship programs for boosting home-grown production and making every seed count.

Now let’s talk about how it’s going. The National Centre for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Development, also called Estidamah, isn’t wasting time. Its tissue culture lab has already delivered over 73,000 healthy plant seedlings in 2024 alone, including 1,500 new coffee ones.

Saudi Reef’s New Brew Plan To Boost Coffee Production

But here’s where it gets technical and impressive. Spokesperson for Saudi Reef, Majid Al-Buraikan, says the team is already growing results. So far, 1,000 cuttings have turned into 1,000 fully traceable seedlings, specially developed to resist disease and tolerate drought. These seedlings were born after scientists reviewed 82 genetic types and grouped them into 12 categories based on how they looked and grew.

More than 109 of them have joined local and international visits to farms, co-ops, and experimental fields to pick up modern techniques. The goal? To take these lessons back home and turn their coffee patches into productive, climate-smart farms.

A Cup Full Of Culture & Progress

Saudi coffee isn’t just a drink, it’s a tradition. And this project is giving that tradition some serious support. Coffee is one of eight key areas that Saudi Reef is working on. The others include beekeeping and honey, fruit crops, flowers and herbs, rain-fed agriculture, livestock, aquaculture, and programmes supporting rural women.

As of now, Saudi Reef has helped more than 87,000 people across all its programmes. The initiative, backed by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, is shifting how the country sees and does agriculture.

Let’s also not forget Jazan, which is producing more than 1,000 tonnes of coffee each year from 2,000 farms by February 2024. With more support, local beans like Khawlani coffee from the southern highlands could soon be on the radar of more coffee lovers worldwide.

Also Read: After Revamped Menus, Saudi Arabia Issues New Regulations For Fine Dining Restaurants

Here’s What That Means For Local Brews

Saudi Arabia’s coffee story is far from over. With varieties like the bold Khawlani, the floral Shadawi, and the nutty Udaini rooted in the country’s culture, the new seedlings are more than just plants. Saudi Arabia plants deeper roots, and the rise of local coffee stands is a proud symbol of smart strategy and cultural strength. Now that’s a brew worth backing.

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/Wasan Tita from Getty Images