JEDDAH: Pink roses from Saudi Arabia are popular throughout the Arabian Peninsula for their expert cultivation, vibrant color, alluring fragrance and the many luxurious products derived from their petals, forming a multimillion-dollar industry.

Two types of pink roses are cultivated in the kingdom: the Medinah rose, which has a light pink color, grows all year round and thrives in both warm and cool climates, and the Taif rose, also known as the Jory or Damask rose, which only grows in spring.

Taif produces more than 550 million flowers each harvest season, which lasts between 45 and 60 days. The rose harvest season usually begins in late March or early April.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, around 1.14 million bushes are cultivated in 910 rose farms in areas such as Al-Hada, Al-Shifa, Wadi Muharram, Al-Wahat and Al-Wahit, covering an area of ​​270 hectares.

The products made from these flowers are very popular and are worth SR 64 million (US$17 million) on the domestic market.

Considered a symbol of the region’s natural beauty, Taif roses are known for their exquisite, sweet fragrance, vibrant pink tones and delicate petals. Grown at high altitudes, these roses thrive in the region’s cool temperatures and fertile soil.

Over 60 farms and the families who run them take part in the region’s annual Rose Festival, which usually takes place in April and May, and showcases their products over five days of celebration.

These fragrant plants have turned the mountainous governorate into a global rose capital, securing a place in the Guinness Book of Records in 2022 for the largest basket of roses with 84,450 blooms.

To promote the growth of the industry, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has launched several projects, including the rehabilitation of agricultural terraces, the application of rainwater harvesting technologies and the Sustainable Rural Agriculture Development Programme.

The Ministry also supports specialized agricultural cooperatives, including the recently established Rose and Aromatic Plants Association. This support enables them to invest in Ministry land, produce aromatic oils and benefit from the Agricultural Development Fund.

“The ministry is working on several initiatives and plans to achieve global leadership in the rose industry in Taif and increase its production to 2 billion roses by 2026,” Saleh Bindakhil, spokesman for the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, told Arab News.

A group of horticulturalists from the Agricultural Extension Department was recently sent to Bulgaria, the Philippines and Thailand to learn about the latest rose oil production technologies 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.

The Ministry also directs the construction of key water infrastructure, including cisterns and barriers, while facilitating the establishment of irrigation networks to support agricultural activities.

The Ministry stresses the importance of sustainable practices and encourages small-scale rose growers to adopt and implement best agricultural practices, providing them with valuable insights into the use of modern technologies and optimal rose production techniques, including essential oil extraction as part of a value chain development approach.

“Taif Governorate has long been considered an ideal and pristine environment for Taif rose bushes,” said Bindakhil.

“Generations have cared for these roses and passed on the tradition of harvesting, distilling and extracting rose oil and rose water. They have enjoyed the fragrant history of these roses in the mild, cool climate and mountainous nature at the top of the famous Jabal Ghazwan.”

One use for rose water extracted from Taif roses is to wash the Kaaba in Mecca every year – a traditional custom maintained by the Saudi government.

There are numerous factories and workshops in the Kingdom specializing in the extraction and manufacture of more than 80 products from rose derivatives, which are used to make various aromatic products and personal care items.

The rose industry plays a significant role in regional development and the local economy, providing numerous jobs and marketing opportunities and encouraging more women to enter the workforce.

To extract the rose oil, bags containing thousands of rose petals are poured into 90-litre copper pots, which are then hermetically sealed for a distillation process lasting nine to twelve hours.

45,000 roses are needed to produce the oil extract, which is then bottled in 12-milliliter bottles. The price for this starts at $400, depending on the season.

Founded in 1831, Al-Kamal is the Kingdom’s oldest factory producing rose-based cosmetics and cleaning products. The company is located in Al-Hada, Medina, and is managed by Khalid Al-Kamal, whose family has worked in the company for generations.

“It is a career that is passed down from father to son – from one generation to the next – and I am very proud to tell you that I am the seventh generation to inherit this legacy,” Al-Kamal said in an interview with Arab News in 2021.

“Working in rose cultivation requires a lot of sensitivity, because the quality of the roses is influenced by the soil and weather as well as the cultivation method. I learned from my ancestors and today my three sons run the factory together with several workers.”

With many new government investments planned for the sustainable use of water resources, Saudi Arabia’s rose industry will undoubtedly continue to flourish in the coming years.