June 14, 2010
Saudi Arabia invites investors in the agriculture and livestock sector
The Saudi Arabian government has adopted several measures to develop agriculture, fisheries and animal production, and now also welcomes investors.
Dr Fahd Bin Abdul Rahman Balghunaim, Minister of Agriculture, urged investors to work hand-in-hand with the ministry to help solve all the problems facing the sector. He said investors should form consortiums to save time and money and the ministry was open to support any initiative that would serve the agricultural sector.
Balghunaim stressed the importance of setting up more poultry farms especially in the light of the growth in imports to 500 million chickens annually.
He said some poultry producers are not abiding by the government's hygiene conditions and are not getting rid of poultry waste properly.
He said the ministry will impose severe fines on violators who do not follow health requirements. Fines could be as high as SR200,000 (US$53,330.11). There is also the possibility that the ministry may close down some of the poultry projects if there are repeated violations.
Balghunaim rejected allegations that the ministry allows the importation of chickens fed with substances prohibited by Islam.
The minister said the ministry has allocated about SR40 million (US$10.67 million) to provide medicines and vaccines for animals. The ministry has a centre for the production of veterinary viral vaccines.
He added that the ministry is in the process of opening a new centre for the production of bacterial vaccines which will save a lot of money. Not enough medicines are currently being distributed by the agricultural directorates, therefore animal breeders are bearing the responsibility for securing medicines, he added.
Balghunaim said fishing docks are important, but there were very few in the Kingdom. He said the ministry is now giving permits only to Saudis to work at sea. In other words, the owners of fishing boats and the workers should be Saudis.
He said the ministry has drafted legislation to regulate fishing and has fixed certain seasons for prawn or shrimp fishing. There is also legislation regulating the fishing of plectropomus macalatus, the species of coral trout known locally as Najil fish.
