Saudi Arabia's First Coffee City Targets 2,000 Tons a Year

Saudi Arabia is planting the seeds of a coffee revolution with its first dedicated "coffee city" in the agricultural heartland of Baha.

The project, nearly three years in the making, sprawls across 170 hectares and has already seen more than 527,000 coffee seedlings take root. When fully operational, this green oasis will produce 2,000 tons of coffee annually and create 100 direct jobs for farmers, technicians, and supervisors.

But the impact reaches far beyond the fields. The ripple effects will touch logistics workers, operations teams, and marketing professionals across the region.

Coffee farmer Mohammed Abbas sees this as Baha's moment to shine. "Baha is always trying to be the leader in agricultural production in Saudi Arabia," he explained.

The coffee city sits in Ma'shouqa, a region already home to more than 450 coffee plantations and 115,000 coffee trees producing premium varieties. This isn't a pipe dream. It's building on decades of agricultural expertise.

And Baha's coffee city is just the beginning. Saudi Arabia plans to develop six coffee cities nationwide, targeting a combined 10,000 tons of annual production. Four development contracts have already been awarded to local and international companies, with two more in the tender phase.

The Ripple Effect

This initiative connects directly to Saudi Vision 2030, the kingdom's ambitious plan to diversify its economy beyond oil. Al-Mohanad Al-Marwai, CEO of the Arabic Coffee Institute, sees the potential clearly.

The Baha Coffee Association is being established to support small farmers, ensuring they're not left behind in this agricultural transformation. The goal is to plant one million coffee trees by 2030, creating a sustainable domestic industry.

Al-Marwai emphasizes that success requires more than just planting trees. "Creating sustainable market demand is just as important as increasing production," he noted.

Farmers need access to profitable markets, buyers need quality guarantees, and the entire value chain needs investment. The real win comes when these pieces align.

The ministry continues opening investment opportunities, inviting both local and international players to participate in building this new sector. Quality, processing, education, and sustainability are all part of the master plan.

The ultimate vision positions Saudi Arabia not just as another coffee producer, but as a globally recognized origin known for quality, authenticity, and innovation. With rich soil, committed farmers, and government backing, that future is taking root one seedling at a time.