RIYADH – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has witnessed remarkable agricultural development over the last three decades, successfully turning large areas of desert into agricultural fields. It is a major accomplishment for a country that receives the world's lowest rainfall of about four inches a year. Currently, the KSA is a leading exporter of a variety of agricultural products including organic products and olives and oil as well as the dairy products, eggs, fish, poultry, fruits, vegetables, and flowers to the markets around the world. Although the KSA has a huge desert land, it also boasts of the areas where the climate has favored agriculture. The country has taken great strides in developing its agricultural sector by implementing major irrigations projects and adding previously barren areas to its stock of cultivatable land. Today, agriculture makes a substantial contribution to the KSA's economy. The city of Jouf is one of the cities that has been developed for its agricultural nature and has received special concern in planting olives as it has around 12,300,000 olive trees and the city of Jouf markets its production internally as well as internationally to some of the European and the Arab countries. To reduce its dependence on the revenue earned from oil exports as the main source of income and to produce more food for its increasing population with a high standard of living, the KSA has been making intensive efforts, through its five-year development plans, to develop its agricultural sector. Cultivated land in the KSA has dramatically increased because of government encouragement and financial aids and the country is presently witnessing an unprecedented exploitation of its agricultural potential. The introduction of sophisticated technology and modern machinery and cultivation of new crops and different varieties have led to the establishment of the greenhouse industry and large agricultural projects. This has not only improved KSA's self-sufficiency but also the export of some products such as wheat, dates, watermelon, poultry, eggs and fresh milk. Under the continued patronage and support of the KSA's Ministry of Agriculture, Saudi Agriculture – the Middle East's largest agriculture exhibition is conducted every year to support the industry by attracting exhibitors from the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and Asia in addition to local companies who will be displaying the latest agricultural products, services and equipment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The show's visitors include high-ranking officials, major manufacturers, dealers, agents and distributors looking to explore partnerships and growth opportunities within the largest and fastest-growing agricultural market in the GCC region. In contribution to the agriculture sector in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Agriculture Exhibition 2015 will be held on Oct. 11 to 14, 2015, at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center. Organized by the Riyadh Exhibitions Company, the show will be held concurrently with Saudi Agrofood 2015. The Saudi Agriculture exhibition will be inaugurated by the Minister of Agriculture Abdulrahman bin Abdulmuhsen Al Fadhly. The expo is supported by the ministry of agriculture and sponsored by Fakih poultry and Arasco as diamond sponsors and the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the expo's strategic partner. more than 350 specialized exhibitors from the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and Asia, in addition to local companies, will be showcasing the latest in agricultural products, services and equipment. — SG
