RIYADH, 20 March 2007 — Agriculture Minister Fahd Balghunaim said yesterday in an address to the Shoura Council that within the year organic crops could be introduced in the Kingdom thanks to his ministry’s initiative. He also called for the establishment of a national commission for organic farming.
“This topic (organic farming) is not only of interest to the ministry, but also to farmers and agriculture companies,” he said in a statement after the meeting that was closed to the public. “The project will be finalized in six months.”
Organic crops produce fruit and vegetables without the assistance of inorganic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals, growing them naturally and therefore reducing the detrimental impact chemicals pose to the environment and potentially to public health. The minister said the introduction of organic agriculture could be done with the assistance of an experienced European agricultural firm. The minister did not name the firm.
Balghunaim is the third minister to go in front of the Shoura Council recently to give a report on ministerial initiatives and issues in their charge. The Shoura has the power to call ministers to the council at any time.
Unlike Minister of Higher Education Khaled Al-Angari, who delivered a hourlong speech to the council when summoned by the Shoura last month, Balghunaim went directly into receiving questions from members.
“The minister was successful in tackling issues with the council,” said Shoura member Abdul Rahman Al-Zamil. “He left the floor entirely open for discussion and answered many questions.”
Water security and the policy to reduce dependency on subterranean water for agricultural purposes were among the key issues discussed by the minister.
Balghunaim also said the Kingdom has now resumed importing livestock from previously banned African countries as part of countermeasures taken to reduce the hike in prices of livestock in the market. “The hike in prices of livestock started last Ramadan ... but they have started to come down gradually after some countries have resumed their export to livestock after the ban was lifted.”
The ban was imposed in September 2000 due to an outbreak of Rift Valley fever among livestock in East Africa.
Balghunaim also announced that his ministry was planning to construct a livestock warehouse worth SR46 million in Jizan port, following a royal decree. The aim of the warehouse is to support the economic sector in the city. The warehouse is expected to ease the import of thousands of livestock from East Africa, said Balghunaim.
Sources told Arab News that the minister informed the Council that his ministry intends to import 600,000 to 700,000 livestock through Jizan port from Djibouti and Somalia.
The minister denied that his ministry had restricted livestock importers to limit their import based on certain numbers, saying that anyone with a commercial record should come forward to the ministry and explain the nature of his business.
“Our only condition is that his commercial record states the nature of his business and that he does not import livestock from banned countries,” he said.
Balghunaim denied there was a shortage in the amount of wheat stored at the Grain Silos & Flour Mills Organization. “Until yesterday the stock of wheat was two million tons. We are waiting for the harvest season to start within 10 days,” he said.
The minister said farmers who use modern agriculture methods in harvesting could profit 20 percent by selling their harvest to the organization.
The minister said his ministry was cooperating with governorates and municipalities in the Kingdom to punish farmers who water their crops with sewage.
