Saudi Gazette report Despite Saudization, expatriate workers have once again tightened their grip on the Kingdom's fruit and vegetable markets, something that has led to members of the public to call on the authorities to act fast, Al-Riyadh newspaper reported. Once inspectors decrease the frequency of their visits, expatriate workers are known to return to the market in larger numbers, making it difficult for young Saudi men to eke out a honest living. Foreign workers are also known to often procure and sell products of unknown origin in such markets. As a result, many Saudis are also calling on the authorities to clamp down on the illegal process of non-Saudis running fruit and vegetable businesses under the name of Saudis in return for fixed sums of money, a process known in the Kingdom as “tasattur”. Saeed Al-Zeyadi owns a stall in Riyadh's fruit and vegetable market. He started his small business five years ago and was making good money until expatriate workers “invaded” the market. “The Riyadh Municipality provides each seller with a stall and a canopy so that we can sit and wait for customers. However, the expatriates who run some stalls never sit around and instead go searching for customers. We're having difficulty finding customers and selling our produce as a result,” said Al-Zeyadi. Another Saudi said he runs a fruit and vegetable stand to earn money to pay off his debts. “I hired an expatriate worker to run the stand because these foreign workers are able to work long hours and do jobs that we Saudis are not able to do,” he said. Muhammad Al-Hamad is a shopper who often visits the market. “I used to see lots of inspectors before, but this is not the case anymore. They are not as active as they used to be,” he said, adding that foreign workers now come because of the absence of inspectors. “I personally prefer to buy fruit and vegetables from Saudi traders because they provide the best quality produce,” he added. Ibrahim Al-Falih owns a stand in the market. He called on the authorities to impose penalties to curtail the number of expatriate workers in the market. “Which Saudization are they talking about? I see expatriate workers here all the time. Where are the regulations that should protect Saudis and prevent expatriate workers from engaging in trade in the market?” he said. “Some of them sell produce from unknown sources at a cheaper price and cause problems to other sellers,” he said, adding that Saudis always sell locally-grown produce. A number of citizens who run stalls at the market also complained about the high rents for stalls that can reach as high as SR7,000 a year despite the small area and low returns. “Saudis who are unemployed should come here and start a small business. Young Saudi men should dispel the stereotypes some people have and should work in all jobs in the retail sector,” said one stallholder. “There are many job opportunities in the private sector that the Saudi youth have not tapped into or even thought of. Running a stall is one such opportunity,” he added. However, there is a social stigma attached to these types of jobs among many Saudis, something that needs to be overcome.
