Article 12 of the Saudi Agriculture Law
المادة 12 من نظام الزراعة
The Ministry regulates plant resources, including licensing their activities and shops, banning varieties, regulating good practices, banning or restricting water-intensive crops, and temporary bans on planting.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تتولى الوزارة تنظيم الثروة النباتية وإدارتها، وتنمية مواردها الطبيعية، والإشراف والرقابة عليها، والعمل على حمايتها ورعايتها، ولها في سبيل ذلك ما يأتي:
1- ترخيص أنشطة الثروة النباتية.
2- تحديد الشروط والمواصفات المتعلقة بأصناف الثروة النباتية وأنواعها، وتحديد شروط تسجيلها وترخيصها وتداولها.
3- الترخيص لمحلات تداول أو بيع أنواع وأصناف الثروة النباتية، والإشراف عليها.
4- حظر تداول أي نوع أو صنف من الثروة النباتية أو زراعته أو نقله، وذلك وفقًا لما تحدده اللائحة.
5- تنظيم نشاط الممارسات الزراعية الجيدة، وتحديد جهات التوثيق وشروط الترخيص والحصول على الشهادة.
6- حظر زراعة المحاصيل الزراعية المستنزفة للمياه أو تقييدها، مع مراعاة الميزة النسبية للمناطق التي تحددها الوزارة.
7- حظر الزراعة مؤقتًا في المناطق التي يشتبه وجود آفة أو وباء أو تلوث فيها.
8- المحافظة على السلالات المحلية، وتوثيقها، وتطويرها.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 12 explained in plain English
This article sets out the Ministry's powers over plant resources, which under Article 1 are all kinds of plants, fruits, crops, agricultural products and the like.
The Ministry handles their regulation, management, development of their resources, supervision and oversight of them, and their protection and care, and for that purpose it may:
- License plant resource activities.
- Set the conditions and specifications for varieties and species, and the conditions for registering, licensing and trading them.
- License shops that trade in or sell plant species and varieties, and supervise them.
- Ban the trading, planting or transport of any species or variety, as the Implementing Regulations specify.
- Regulate the activity of good agricultural practices, and specify the certification bodies and the conditions for licensing and obtaining the certificate.
- Ban or restrict the planting of water-intensive crops, taking into account the comparative advantage of the regions the Ministry specifies.
- Temporarily ban planting in areas where a pest, epidemic or contamination is suspected.
- Preserve, document and develop local strains.
What matters most to farmers in practice are powers 6 and 7: the Ministry may restrict the planting of certain crops that consume a lot of water, taking each region's particular features into account, and may temporarily ban planting in an area where a pest is suspected. The Law does not name particular crops here; that is determined by the Ministry's decisions.
If you have a specific situation, it is best to consult a lawyer specializing in agricultural and environmental laws.
Practical example
A farmer in the Hail region plans to plant a large area with a fodder crop that uses large amounts of water. He should check whether the Ministry has banned or restricted planting this crop in his region, because it has this power, taking the comparative advantage of regions into account.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentAdministrative Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Administrative Law (Board of Grievances) lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Al-Safwa Law Office and Legal Consultancy
Frequently asked questions about Article 12 of the Saudi Agriculture Law
Can the Ministry ban certain crops from being planted?
Yes. It may ban or restrict the planting of water-intensive crops, taking the comparative advantage of regions into account, and ban the trading or planting of any species or variety as the Implementing Regulations specify.
Does a plant shop need a license?
Yes. The Ministry may license shops that trade in or sell plant resource species and varieties, and supervise them.
When can planting be temporarily banned in an area?
When a pest, epidemic or contamination is suspected in that area.
More articles on Plant Resources and Organic Farming
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.