Coffee Arabica in Saudi Arabia: An Overview ‎

Download PDF

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a country that constitutes a major portion of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a large land composed mainly of arid soil encompassing the area of around 2.15 million km2. The land is approximately located in-between 15º45’N to 34º35’N and 34º40’E to 55º45’E latitude and longitude respectively. The Saudi Arabian climate is extremely dry and hot. The temperature here can reach as high as 50ºC during summers which happen only in few countries around the world. In summer seasons, the inland regions of Saudi Arabia experience an average temperature of about 27°C-43°C while the temperature range of coastal areas is in-between 27-38°C. More than a hundred-year-old trees are found in the south-western region of Saudi Arabia (provinces of Jazan, Al-Baha, and Aseer) which is considered as a traditional area for the cultivation of coffee. Arabica coffee is an inhabitant of hilly mountains and cultivates best in the regions of high altitudes. It is widely grown on the slopes of terraced mountains situated in the highlands of south-western Saudi Arabia, mainly on the mountains of Hada and Al-Dayer Bani Malek situated in Aseer and Jazan regions respectively. Arabian coffee is widely used for medicinal purposes and as a basic beverage in Saudi Arabia.