Saudi cabinet approves land ownership laws for agricultural firms

Saudi Arabia’s cabinet on Monday approved five regulations governing land ownership by joint stock agricultural firms, state-owned Saudi Press Agency reported.

Under these regulations, the Saudi ministry of environment, water and agriculture will have plots of land recently granted to agricultural firms measured. A consultant will also be hired on the company’s expense to measure the target area for ownership.

The ministry will also study the recent aerial photos of agricultural activity and take the regulatory measures against unlicensed wells.

Existing and future crops and cultivation areas will be defined by the ministry, in line with the cabinet decision to rationalize water consumption and suspend cultivation of green fodder for three years. 

In addition, agricultural firms will develop an operating plan for the existing and future products, and submit it to the ministry for approval.

Another measure will also target encroachers on government land.

 The Saudi cabinet also gave the go-ahead for setting up the general authority for military industries.

The new entity’s board of directors will be chaired by the deputy prime minister, and will have ministers of energy, industry and mineral resources, finance, commerce and investment and the Saudi Military Industries Co.’s board chairman as members.