With millions of palm trees in the Kingdom, routine pruning produces large volumes of waste. The investment question is not whether raw material exists, but: what will you make from it, who will buy it, and what does collection cost?
Raw material volume
According to the Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), as reported by Al Eqtisadiah in February 2026, palm frond waste in the Kingdom exceeds 800,000 tonnes a year from about 32 million palms, at 25–35 kg of waste per palm per year, and 60%–70% of it can be used in value-added products.
Qassim is one of the Kingdom's major palm regions, making raw-material availability an advantage there, provided collection and transport are solved.
Possible products
- Organic fertiliser and soil conditioners (compost).
- Biochar.
- Animal feed from some palm by-products after processing.
- Wood-like panels for furniture, décor and finishing.
- Thermal and acoustic insulation materials.
- Handicrafts from palm leaves.
Each product has completely different technology, cost and market; a panel factory is not a compost unit.
The real challenge: collection and operations
Waste is spread across thousands of farms and arrives seasonally with pruning. The study is therefore built on supply agreements with farmers, collection and transport cost per tonne, storage space, and cutting and grinding before processing.
Licensing
Waste management and recycling activities are regulated by the National Center for Waste Management (MWAN), plus industrial or municipal licensing depending on the product. Check current requirements with the competent authorities before execution.
Feasibility study items
- Define the product and target market before choosing equipment.
- Raw-material cost delivered to the plant (collection + transport + storage).
- Realistic production capacity and loss rate.
- Actual selling prices compared with imported alternatives.
- Capital: equipment, site, licences and working capital.
- Risks: supply seasonality, product quality and demand volatility.
Note: any return figure quoted for this type of project without a study of a specific site and product is an estimate not to be relied on.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest product to start with?
Often compost, or cutting and grinding to sell as an intermediate material, as they are less technically complex, though margins are lower than manufactured products.
Is the raw material free?
Not always; even if farmers give it free, collection and transport costs are real and must be counted.
Does the project suit Qassim specifically?
Qassim's palm abundance is an advantage, but the decision depends on product, market and logistics cost.
Studying an agricultural waste recycling project?
Googan prepares feasibility studies that start with product and market, then the supply chain and costs. Contact us to discuss your idea.
