JOUF: Dr. Fahd Bin Abdul Rahman Balghunaim, Minister of Agriculture, said the ministry is awaiting royal approval of an allocation for a subsidy for growing olive trees and that he looks forward to it being granted in the near future. In an open meeting with farmers in Al-Jouf on the sidelines of an agricultural guidance meeting, Dr. Balghunaim addressed a number of topics and answered farmers' questions. He said there is a need to use technology to provide more information to farmers and ensure that they are working effectively. “We in the ministry need to build a database to guide farmers and we want to give information to small farmers and organize training courses for them,” he said. “We must build a guidance system for farmers so we can work with them and help them, especially because there still are some incorrect agricultural practices. We should be able to come up with a system that is capable of correcting them.” Dr. Balghunaim drew attention to the fact that there have been adverse effects from excessive use of water. “There are areas in the Kingdom that have dried up due to depletion of water and we should be wise and reasonable in using it,” he said. Regarding the situation of some farmers who have been issued ownership decisions, Dr. Balghunaim said, “These have been stopped until the study on the water situation is completed.” He noted that in some cases, prices are set outside the Kingdom. “The price of barley is linked with rise and fall of prices in the international markets, he said. “Growing barley in the Kingdom is not feasible and we are directing farmers to grow what is feasible and cost-effective and does not consume an excessive amount of water.” The minister said that while government sectors provide some support for agricultural industries, it is the private sector's responsibility to market dates and other products. “The state is not responsible for setting up factories or marketing companies, but it is responsible for contributing and providing support,” he said.
