An unprecedented national campaign to protect agricultural identity
In a proactive and large-scale initiative, the National Center for Plant Pest and Animal Disease Prevention and Control (Wiqa’) announced a major achievement: the inspection of more than 76 million palm trees across the Kingdom. This comprehensive campaign is part of ongoing national efforts to combat the red palm weevil, one of the most serious pests threatening palm trees not only in Saudi Arabia but globally.
The historical context of an ongoing battle
The red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is a devastating invasive pest that was first recorded in Saudi Arabia in the mid-1980s, specifically in the Qatif Governorate of the Eastern Province. Since then, it has spread, posing a significant economic and environmental threat. Its danger lies in the fact that its larvae burrow tunnels inside the palm trunk, causing internal damage that is difficult to detect in its early stages, leading to its being dubbed the “silent killer of palm trees.” Given the cultural, economic, and symbolic importance of the palm tree in the Kingdom, combating this pest has become a top national priority to protect a strategic resource closely linked to food security and national heritage.
Results of the field survey and details of the control measures
The comprehensive field survey conducted by the “Wiqa” Center revealed that 204,000 palm trees were infected. Specialized field teams dealt with these cases with high efficiency and using the latest technologies. 150,500 palm trees were successfully saved and treated using phosphine chemical treatment. Precision mechanical treatment methods were employed to treat another 20,000 palm trees using scraping and injection techniques. In advanced cases that proved difficult to treat, the teams were only required to remove 1,676 palm trees, a very small number compared to the massive scale of the inspection. This reflects the effectiveness of early detection strategies and the rapid response before the damage worsened.
Distributing efforts across the regions of the Kingdom
The Eastern Province, historically the first line of defense against this pest, spearheaded preventative efforts, accounting for the largest share of inspections with nearly 18 million palm trees. It was followed by the Riyadh region with approximately 13.7 million palm trees inspected, then the Madinah region with over 10.6 million, the Hail region with about 8.6 million, and the Qassim region with 8.1 million. The remaining figures were distributed across the various other regions of the Kingdom.
The importance and strategic impact of the success achieved
This integrated defense strategy has resulted in a record low infestation rate of the red palm weevil across the Kingdom, at just 0.27%. This achievement is not only a local success but also has regional and international dimensions. Locally, it contributes to protecting food security, supporting farmers, and ensuring the sustainability of the date sector, a key component of the non-oil national economy, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. Regionally, the Kingdom presents a leading model in pest control that neighboring countries can utilize to protect their date palm resources. Internationally, these efforts reinforce Saudi Arabia's position as an influential force in agricultural safety and the application of global best practices, particularly with the launch of a pilot project for early detection technology that functions as a smart warning system, increasing control efficiency and reducing resource waste.
