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Table 3.9 SPS measures: products and countries affected, 2016-20
(...)
HS No. -
Description of products : All organic products
Nature of SPS measure : Organic Agriculture Law and Organic Agriculture By-Law in Saudi Arabia
Affected WTO Members and non-WTO members: All trading partners
(...)

3.122. All imports of live animals and biological preparations from anywhere outside the GCC territory require import permits from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.

3.129. Under the GCC Plant Quarantine Law and its Executive Regulations in Saudi Arabia, (...) All plants or plant products contaminated with pests listed in the "approved united pest list of the GCC" are prohibited from importation. The list is published on the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture portal.(...) Furthermore, natural soil and natural organic fertilizers may not be imported.

3.132. The Department for Organic Agriculture, under the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, maintains and regularly updates a positive list of inputs and their characteristics (including fertilizers, soil conditioner, plant protection materials, and food additives) that are in compliance with the Organic Agriculture Act. Agricultural products (including fresh and processed products and agricultural production inputs for organic farming activities) that comply with the Saudi organic farming law may be marketed as "organic", using a Saudi national logo for organic agricultural products or for organic production inputs. Producers of organic products are subject to compliance checks at least annually; the checks are carried out by private bodies designated by the Department. Organic producers may face removal from the authorization list if severe infringement is found during the check. According to the authorities, imported products may also be marketed as "organic" only when they meet the requirements of the law and are approved by the Department.

3.133. It is permissible to trade in genetically modified (GM) foods of plant origin, only if the requirements laid down in the relevant national standards and regulations are met, which include, but are not limited to, the following:
(...)
• no reported adverse effects on human or animal or environment health; and
• a declaration on the label that the product is genetically modified.

3.134. Saudi Arabia prohibits trading with GM foods of animal origin, which are obtained by means of biotechnology.

3.135. Under the Council of Ministers Decree No. 7/5/2911 dated 16/1/1425H (7 March 2004), genetically modified dates, seeds, seedlings, and ornamental plants are banned from importation.

4.2. (...) In line with government policy to reduce water use in agriculture (see below), the production of green fodder began to be phased out in late 2018, a process set to be complete by 2022.

4.7. The Ministry of Agriculture was integrated into the new Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in May 2016, and is now responsible for developing and implementing policies in these three closely related fields.

4.8. (...)As awareness of unsustainable natural resource use (especially use of water from non-renewable aquifers) increased, agricultural policy started to shift in 2005 under Development Plans. Sustainable production became increasingly important at the expense of supporting domestic production, with policies encouraging Saudi agricultural investment abroad and imports starting to play a bigger role in food security considerations.