Saudi Arabia: Strict conditions for importing olive seedlings and a two-year quarantine period
In a strategic move aimed at safeguarding the agricultural sector in Saudi Arabia, the National Center for Plant Pest and Animal Disease Prevention and Control (Wiqa’) announced a firm intention to impose a new set of stringent requirements on the import of olive seedlings and host plants of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa from countries that have recorded outbreaks of this plant disease. This announcement came through a project launched by the center on the “Istila’a” platform, with the goal of building a robust protective barrier to safeguard the Kingdom’s vegetation and agricultural gains from the infiltration of deadly transboundary pests.
These measures come as part of the Kingdom's commitment to protecting its agricultural wealth, particularly the olive sector, which has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years, especially in northern regions such as Al-Jawf and Tabuk. The bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is one of the most dangerous plant pests globally, having destroyed millions of olive trees in Mediterranean countries. This makes Saudi Arabia's preventative measures essential to ensuring food security and the sustainability of local production.
Banning genetically modified products and restricting expansion
The draft of the new regulations settled the ongoing debate surrounding genetically modified products. The regulations explicitly prohibit the import of any seedlings derived from genetically modified mother plants or produced from modified origins, ensuring the safety of local genetic resources and preserving the genetic purity of Saudi crops. The regulations also restrict the import of olive seedlings to the specific purpose of "replacement" or conversion to advanced agricultural systems within the same geographical area previously cultivated. This prevents any horizontal expansion into new areas using seedlings imported from countries with disease-causing agents, thus encouraging reliance on reliable local production.
Precise technical specifications and identification card
To enhance transparency, the center requires importers to submit detailed documentation for each country of origin, including purchase invoices specifying the plant's scientific name. Seedlings must be sourced exclusively from nurseries officially accredited by the national plant protection organization in the exporting country. The regulations also impose strict standards for the growing environment, prohibiting the import of seedlings grown in natural soil and mandating their cultivation in approved alternative growing media such as peat moss or perlite to prevent the transmission of hidden soil pests.
Waqqaa stressed the necessity of having an identification card attached to each seedling, containing detailed information such as the planting date, nursery name, variety, and origin, to facilitate accurate traceability. In addition, a thorough laboratory test for bacteria must be conducted 15 days prior to shipment and certified by the official authorities in the exporting country.
Long-term quarantine
The procedures didn't stop at paperwork requirements; they extended to include rigorous post-arrival field procedures. Seedlings undergo thorough visual and laboratory testing at entry points with a 95% confidence level. If their initial health is confirmed, they are not released directly to the market but are instead transferred to approved quarantine nurseries where they remain under strict monitoring for two full years. During this period, taking any vegetative cuttings for propagation is strictly prohibited to ensure they are completely free of any latent diseases that might appear later.
The center concluded its directives by emphasizing its sovereign right to immediately halt import permits and prevent the entry of any shipment, even if it is on its way to arrive, in the event of international reports confirming the outbreak of bacteria in the exporting country, in order to prioritize the public interest and protect the national plant wealth, which is a fundamental pillar in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
