Saudi Arabia: Organic farming gaining ground

The 33rd edition of Saudi Agriculture 2014, the international agriculture, water, and agro-industry trade show, took place in Riyadh in September. Under the patronage of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Department of Organic Agriculture participated with its farming pavilion, a joint venture of the ministry, the German GIZ International Services Organic Farming Project and the Saudi Organic Farming Association (SOFA), the Saudi Gazette reports. The pavilion gave organic farmers and other stakeholders the opportunity to showcase their products and services. Also present was the Organic Research Center, which not only provided an insight to its fields of research, but also displayed a range of organic products.
 

Saudi Gazette spoke to Ayman Al-Ghamdi of the Department of Organic Agriculture as well as general supervisor of the Organic Farming Project, who said this was the 7th time his department participated in the show – this year with a pavilion that was three times the size of the first one in 2008. According to Al-Ghamdi, organic agriculture in the Kingdom is developing well. Today, there are more than 110 organic farms, certified according to Saudi organic standards, and demand for Saudi organic products, especially fresh produce, is continuously increasing. Nowadays, consumers are able to purchase organic products at local food markets, at specialized organic dealers and in hypermarkets. Due to the high demand, however, meeting local production with local demand has been among the main challenges the Saudi organic sector faces. The full article is available from the Saudi Gazette.