Imprisonment and a fine of 10 million riyals for violators of the pesticide regulations in Saudi Arabia
In a move aimed at enhancing food security and protecting public health, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has introduced a significant update to the penalties stipulated in the Pesticides Law of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, issued in 1427 AH (2006/2007). This announcement, made through the "Istilaa" platform, reflects a firm commitment to regulating the pesticides market and curbing practices that threaten human health and the environment.
A regulatory framework to promote environmental safety
This move is part of a broader strategic framework aimed at unifying environmental and agricultural standards across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. A unified pesticide system is the cornerstone of regulating the trade of these chemicals, from their import and manufacturing to their use in fields and homes. These amendments are of paramount importance given the growing challenges related to food safety and pesticide residues, as stakeholders strive to ensure that agricultural products are free from chemical contaminants that could cause chronic diseases or harm the ecological balance.
Deterrent penalties: imprisonment and million-dollar fines
The new amendments stipulate strict penalties with zero tolerance for those who tamper with biosecurity. The update confirms that, without prejudice to any more severe penalties in other regulations, violators of the pesticides system face the following penalties:
- Imprisonment: A term not exceeding five years.
- Financial penalty: An amount not exceeding ten million Saudi Riyals.
- Combining the two penalties: The court has the right to combine imprisonment and a fine in serious cases.
These severe penalties specifically target anyone who manufactures or imports any internationally "banned" or "counterfeit" pesticide, given the imminent and direct danger that these substances pose, the effects of which cannot be easily remedied.
Classification of violations and progression of punishment
To ensure fairness in application, the system distinguished between two types of violations:
- Serious offenses: These are offenses that cause significant harm to humans, animals, or the environment. The Public Prosecution is responsible for investigating them and bringing the case before the competent court to apply the maximum penalties.
- Non-serious violations: These are violations that do not pose a direct threat. In this case, the violator is first warned and given a grace period to rectify the situation, reflecting the system's balance between deterrence and giving the opportunity to correct the situation.
Complementary roles between government agencies
The update clearly defined the scope of responsibilities to ensure there was no overlap in jurisdictions:
- The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture: is responsible for reviewing violations related to agricultural pesticides, forming committees to review grievances and impose fines.
- The General Authority for Food and Drug: assumes responsibility for public health pesticides (such as household pesticides and disease-carrying insect control), with full powers to control violations and impose penalties.
Additional measures: defamation and closure
The regime did not stop at financial penalties and imprisonment, but also approved supplementary measures to ensure general deterrence, including:
- Defamation: Publishing a summary of the final judgment at the expense of the offender in local newspapers.
- Closure: The offending facility will be temporarily closed for up to six months, or permanently in serious cases.
- Destruction and re-export: Obliging the violator to destroy the chemical materials or re-export them to the country of origin at his own expense.
- Doubling the penalty: If the violation is repeated within three years, the fine is doubled, thus cutting off the path to repeated fraudulent practices.
