Day: April 6, 2024

Riyadh: The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program (Reef Saudi) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s coffee sector. Since its inception in 2020, the program has allocated a total of SAR61 million in support, reaching 3,718 beneficiaries.

Reef Saudi reported a significant increase in coffee production. From 2020 to 2023, production volume has grown by 37%, reaching 1,485 tons, compared to 800 tons in 2020. The program’s ambitious goal is to achieve 7,000 tons of coffee production annually by 2026.

Investing in the Future

The program emphasizes the growing importance of the coffee industry within the Kingdom’s economy. Reef Saudi aims to integrate coffee production into the overall agricultural landscape, transforming it into a cash crop that diversifies the agricultural base. It also seeks to create additional economic value through manufacturing, marketing, and increased self-sufficiency in coffee production, ultimately reducing reliance on imports.

Job Creation and Empowe
rment

Reef Saudi recognizes the potential for job creation within the coffee sector, particularly for young Saudis. The program strives to increase producer income and improve overall livelihoods in rural areas.

Multi-faceted Approach

To achieve its goals, Reef Saudi has established a multi-pronged strategy. This strategy includes facilitating access to financial resources, implementing best agricultural practices through nurseries and model farms, and introducing automated harvesting techniques to minimize waste. Cooperative societies and coffee marketing centers are also being established to enhance the sustainability of Saudi coffee cultivation. Additionally, the program supports rainwater harvesting projects and irrigation infrastructure development. Direct financial support for small producers is offered alongside capacity-building initiatives for technical personnel within relevant institutions.

Strategic Initiatives

Reef Saudi is actively pursuing a range of strategic projects and initiatives. The
se projects encompass establishing and equipping coffee processing and manufacturing facilities in Al-Baha, Asir, and Jazan. Additionally, the program plans to equip model farms in strategic locations within the Jazan region and establish model coffee nurseries in Jazan, Asir, and Al-Baha.

Broader Vision

The Reef Saudi program operates within a broader context of empowering small agricultural producers. The program aims to improve access to resources, markets, and essential agricultural services. Ultimately, it seeks to contribute to food security, rural social stability, environmental sustainability, and the responsible management of natural resources.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh: Transport General Authority (TGA) announced impressive figures for the postal sector during the holy month of Ramadan. As of the 25th of Ramadan, over 18 million parcel deliveries were completed by more than 70 licensed companies – a significant 54% increase compared to Ramadan in 2023 (1444 AH).

The TGA highlighted its commitment to customer satisfaction. A dedicated call centre received over 3,000 inquiries from beneficiaries during the first 25 days of Ramadan. Additionally, supervisory teams inspected postal parcel company warehouses to monitor operations and ensure efficient delivery processes.

The authority emphasized the importance of these measures in maintaining high-quality services throughout Ramadan and meeting the increasing needs of beneficiaries.

For beneficiaries who encounter service issues with a specific transport company, the TGA has established multiple channels for reporting concerns. Complaints can be submitted through the beneficiary platform on the TGA website (tga.gov.sa),
via the unified call centre (19929), or by direct message to the beneficiary care centre on the X platform (@TGA_CARE).

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh: As part of the Kingdom’s commitment for the mining sector to be the third pillar of the Saudi industrial economy in Vision 2030, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources (MIMR) and the Ministry of Investment (MISA) are inviting mining explorers worldwide to participate in the ongoing Exploration Enablement Program (EEP), an initiative to strengthen the Saudi mining sector, the ministries said in a news release.

According to the statement, EEP was recently launched to stimulate exploration activities in strategic and critical minerals; expand the understanding of the Kingdom’s exploration potential by focusing on underexplored areas and minerals; develop local talent in the mineral exploration and mining sector, fostering skills enhancement and creating opportunities for the local workforce; and enhance geological knowledge through the use of innovative data collection techniques that adhere to international best practices. The program seeks to accelerate exploration efforts and advance key obje
ctives within Saudi Arabia’s mineral and mining industry.

EEP will broaden insights into the Kingdom’s exploration activities by enabling the exploration in untapped regions. Eligibility criteria include: investors interested in participating in the EEP must focus on minerals categorized under Class ‘A’ of the Mining Investment Law, such as Copper (Cu), Lithium (Li), Nickel (Ni), Gold (Au), and Iron ore (Fe); and exploration activities should target underexplored areas or critical minerals to ensure a comprehensive exploration approach.

Eligible applicants must also possess a valid exploration license under five years of tenure, requisite expertise, and a proven track record in greenfield exploration. Under the program, investors are required to submit their work program applications by May 31. Successful applicants will be announced by July 31.

The program encourages investors to utilize local service providers for essential services and contracts, contributing to the growth of local businesses and streng
thening the domestic supply chain. Interested investors are urged to download the application form and program guidelines from the official Ta’adeen website (https://taadeen.sa/exploration-enablement-program).

The application form offers comprehensive instructions on program requirements, while the guidelines provide a roadmap for a successful application process.

The MIMR invites investors from around the world to participate in the EEP, contributing to the growth and success of Saudi Arabia’s mineral sector. By joining the program, investors will gain valuable geological knowledge, support local talent development, and play a crucial role in the sustainable growth of the industry.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Jeddah: The Jeddah Islamic Port today celebrated the arrival of the first vessel belonging to the Saudi container line Folk Maritime.

The port held a celebration for the crew of the vessel, named ‘Sunset X,’ in appreciation of the cooperation between the Saudi Ports Authority (MAWANI) and Folk Maritime and their efforts to enhance the competitiveness of the Kingdom on the logistics map and its status as a global logistics hub in realization of the targets of the Saudi Vision 2030.

Folk Marine is the first Saudi company specializing in container and feeder ships, providing tributary ship services and short-distance sea freight and offering reliable and highly efficient services that meet the requirements of customers in the Arabian Gulf region, the Red Sea, and beyond.

The company’s choice of Jeddah Islamic Port comes in recognition of the port’s global reputation for operational excellence, with the number of its multi-purpose berths reaching 62. It is also equipped with the latest operational capabilities
that qualify it to receive various ship sizes and types, in addition to the competitive advantages it possesses that makes it the top Red Sea port.

MAWANI recently announced that Folk Maritine added the new ‘NRS’ shipping service to the Jeddah Islamic Port to connect the Kingdom to the ports of the northern Red Sea to facilitate the needs of the growing market and trade in the region. The service is the sixth on the list of navigational services that the authority has added since the beginning of 2024.

Source: Saudi Press Agency