Producers in Al-Jouf Region are capitalizing on the area’s agricultural resources and vegetation to extract nutritional and medicinal benefits from the fruit trees in farms or nature reserves, which have an abundance of wild plants and trees.
At a local festival for agricultural products, which began on Monday in the Dumat Al-Jandal Governorate, arta bush (Calligonum cosmosum) molasses stand out.
In his booth, participant Salamah Al-Sharari explains about molasses and offers customers a chance to taste the syrup, which is used in the production of various food products.
Arta bushes, Al-Sharari said, abound in the vast Nafud regions, especially in the areas between Al-Jouf and Hail. He prepares molasses at home with the help of his family.
Arta molasses is served with ghee, bread, and sometimes olive oil. It is also occasionally used as a food sweetener, replacing sugar, and is a common ingredient in traditional southern dishes like areekah.
At the festival, honey juice with mint and ginger is served chil
led at different booths, offering visitors a taste of products suitable for the winter season that boost immunity and provide nutritional benefits.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
