## 1 Introduction  
Date palm (_Phoenix dactylifera_ L.) cultivation holds a vital segment in the agricultural sector of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) due to its religious, social, and economic values. In the year of 2018, national statistical data indicated that the total number of date palm trees in the country was more than 31 million [1], grown over an area of 207,369.8 ha with a total production of 1,541,769 tons (i.e., \(\sim\)17% of the world's total production) [2]. There are 400 date palm cultivars grown over 72% of the total permanent cultivated area in KSA [3, 4]. Thus, the KSA was globally ranked in the year 2019 among the leading countries that cultivate date palm trees and produce date fruits [5]. These statistical figures are indebted to the generous Saudi government that provides non-profitable and long-term subsets to the growers of date palm trees. In KSA, the Al-Ahsa (i.e., Al-Hassa) oasis is a prominent agricultural area well known for its intensive date palm cultivation. In the oasis, the estimated total number of date palm trees ranges between 3 and 4 M randomly grown over 70% of the oasis's total cultivated area that covers more than 8200 ha [6]. Numerous studies have stated that there are 40 distinct cultivars in the oasis, where Khlas, Ruzz, and Shishi are the most cultivated and valuable [6; 7; 8]. The Al-Ahsa oasis is one of the leading agricultural regions cultivating these cultivars in the KSA according to [PERSON] [9], who also stated that these cultivars are well recognized for their distinguished processing features, mainly as soft varieties with diverse colors and pleasant tastes. Date production in the KSA possesses pronounced economic value. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [10] indicated that the KSA is ranked among the top nations worldwide in the trade market of dates, yet, external export is low, being estimated as only 6.8% of KSA productions. The authors, however, advocated that the KSA dates have some relative advantages in global markets, considering the availability of high-quality varieties and good processing techniques. Nonetheless, other studies have argued that the quality and age of the date palm cultivars in the KSA offer limiting factors in the investment successes of date palm cultivations [11]. Moreover, [PERSON] [12] suggested that date production's economic status and prices are a function of the cultivars, production costs, and farming practices for date palm trees, including soil fertilization, pest control, irrigation, weed removal, pollination etc. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [13] also found that labor costs are the most influential inputs in date palm production, taking into consideration that most of the labor is temporarily hired. Other studies also advised that there are urgent needs to redistribute the economic resources employed in the date palm industry to reduce the production costs and, hence, to increase the capabilities of Saudi dates to compete globally [14]. On the other hand, it is necessary to emphasize that there are certain capacities to strengthen the exports of Saudi dates. [PERSON] et al. [15], for example, proposed that the Saudi dates have some relative incentives to be more accepted worldwide; these are: providing high-quality products requested by high-income countries, supplying large quantities of low-quality products to meet enquiries from low-income countries, improving exporting packing industries to effectively compete with consumer enquires, coming up with untraditional packed products of dates, and benefiting from the spiritual values of the Saudi dates, particularly within Muslims communities. [PERSON] [16] also suggested that the Saudi date manufacturers should exercise extra efforts to find new markets, to make advertisements, and to employ propaganda strategies to confront the substantial involved expenses.