Date production farms account for 10% of total income in the agricultural sector. Although Saudi exports of dates reach many countries, they are still of lower quantity compared to the size of their production. This study investigates the possibility of expanding external marketing of date exports by increasing the marketing efficiency of the existing market, which is expected to lead to increased returns. Therefore, this research uses the gravity model to identify the most critical factors affecting Saudi date exports to Middle Eastern countries. The results indicated the positivity of the per capita GDP in Saudi Arabia, the common border in influencing the increase in date exports, and the opposite effect of membership in the Gulf Cooperation Organization (GCC). In estimating the potential and expected trade capabilities with the Middle Eastern countries, the study results show that the actual value of date exports to the countries of the Middle East represents about 83.37% of its expected potential date trade, and it is possible to increase the export value by 16.63%, or USD 12.75 million. The study provides recommendations to improve date trade further.

Saudi Arabia implements a wide range of non-tariff measures on imports and exports. Different research articles have quantified the effect of non-tariff measures on trade, but their effect on Saudi Arabia has not been quantified. The major objective of this paper is to quantify the effect of non-tariff measures on the imports of Saudi Arabia. Panel data from 2000 to 2022 for four major regions trading with Saudi Arabia are used to estimate the panel ARDL gravity model. The results of the bound test confirm the presence of a long-run association between the model variables. In the long-run, the per capita income of Saudi Arabia is the main determinant of imports. In contrast, in the short-run the per capita income has no influence, and the non-tariff measures have a negative effect on import value. At the cross-sectional level, the results confirm the negative effect of non-tariff measures on the selected trade partners with varying degrees. The results ascertain the detrimental effect of the application of technical and non-technical measures on Saudi Arabia’s imports. We recommend policymakers in Saudi Arabia adopt a more transparent policy of NTMs application that leads to a sustainable supply of goods and services and ensures sustainable trade.