Saudi Arabia's Asir Region Develops into Coffee Production Hub – CoffeeTalk

Coffee cultivation in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia is evolving from a time-honored agricultural practice into a significant economic venture, featuring thousands of farms and hundreds of thousands of coffee trees thriving on the mountainous terraces, valleys, and slopes. The cultivation spans from Al-Farshah and Tihama Qahtan in the south through various mountainous governorates to Balqarn in the north, illustrating the region’s diverse landscape and deep-seated coffee farming heritage.

Asir’s favorable climatic conditions—including varied elevations, moderate temperatures, adequate rainfall, and fertile soils—support coffee tree growth. Farmers in the area have maintained traditional practices and knowledge over generations, with substantial growth observed as over 634,000 coffee trees have been planted from 2022 to 2025, expanding the cultivation area to more than 7,000 hectares across 14 governorates. Currently, there are more than 243,000 productive coffee trees in Asir, yielding over 175 tons of pure coffee annually.

The rapid growth in coffee production is further highlighted by the increasing number of active farms, which has surpassed 1,400, showcasing the rising interest and potential economic benefits for local mountain communities. Programs aimed at enhancing farm efficiency, boosting production quality, and increasing tree numbers are supporting this expansion. Notably, a new initiative is set to promote planting 1 million coffee trees between 2026 and 2028, aimed at developing the mountain economy and bolstering productive agricultural zones.

In tandem with these efforts, regions like Najran are also active in enhancing coffee farming by offering farmers high-quality seedlings, organic fertilizers, water-saving irrigation systems, and training on best practices in cultivation and processing. Furthermore, in Al-Baha, the infrastructure for coffee farming is being fortified with the establishment of specialized agricultural hubs and the construction of a coffee processing plant, costing over SR16 million.

These initiatives collectively aim to advance Saudi Arabia’s coffee industry, uplift farmers, and enhance the quality and economic value of locally grown crops. Asir stands at a pivotal point where its rich agricultural heritage, increasing cultivation activities, and supportive development programs could significantly elevate its role in the country’s coffee sector.

Read More @ Arab News