Pakistan seeks $6bn for corporate farming from Saudi Arabia, other Gulf nations by 2028

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Updated 22 September 2023
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Pakistan seeks $6bn for corporate farming from Saudi Arabia, other Gulf nations by 2028

  • Arab News speaks exclusively to CEO of FonGrow, spearheading agriculture projects under new investment body
  • Pakistan in talks with Saudi companies like Al-Dahara, Saleh and Al-Khorayef for investment in corporate farming

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is seeking up to $6 billion investment from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Bahrain over the next three to five years for corporate farming, with the aim of cultivating 1.5 million acres of previously unfarmed land and mechanizing existing 50 million acres of agricultural lands across the country, the CEO of the company spearheading the initiative has said.

The development comes months after Pakistan set up a Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) — a civil-military hybrid forum — to attract foreign funding in agriculture, mining, information technology, defense production and energy as the South Asian country deals with a balance of payments crisis and requires billions of dollars in foreign exchange to finance its trade deficit and repay its international debts in the current financial year.

Earlier this month, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said Saudi Arabia and the UAE would invest up to $25 billion each in Pakistan over the next five years in the mining, agriculture and information technology sectors.

Initiatives in the agriculture sector under SIFC are being administered by FonGrow, which is part of the Fauji Foundation investment group run by former Pakistani military officers.

“We have estimated about $5-6 billion [investment from Gulf nations] for initial three to five years,” Major General (retired) Tahir Aslam, FonGrow’s managing-director and chief executive officer, told Arab News in an interview. 

He declined to share details about the breakdown of the investment from each individual country.

The CEO said the company was engaging with several Saudi companies like Al-Dahara, Saleh and Al-Khorayef to attract investment in the corporate farming sector. He did on elaborate on progress made so far in the discussions. 

Aslam said his company was also working on different investment models with the Saudi and UAE companies for corporate farming, including joint ventures.

“If they want to make direct investment, it is a corporate model. So, they will take an equal number of stakes in the company, and they get an equal number of positions in the governance [of the company]. So, it is going to be a joint company.”

About strategy and targets to mechanize farming, Aslam said FonGrow was working on a two-pronged approach to bring up to 1.5 million acres of new arable land under cultivation and modernize 50 plus million acres of land already being farmed.

This, he said, would require about “$25 million per each thousand acres and other for machinery, and setting up of infrastructure for value addition.”

FonGrow is aiming to set up corporate farms on over 100,000 acres in the next 5-7 years. The first such farm had already been established on over 5,000 acres of land in Khanewal, he said. 

“Next year, we will be starting our second farm on over 10,000 acres and we hope to develop the capacity to be able to develop 20 to 25 thousand acres every year,” Aslam said. “Mainly, we are starting in Punjab and then we are looking for lands. Wherever we get suitable lands, we will go to all the provinces.”

To a question about the source of capital to develop the land, the official said: “We have no issue of rupee capital availability for our project because ultimately it will bring returns to Fauji Foundation.”

“There is a small challenge that we are facing basically, which is of foreign exchange because the irrigation systems and the tractors and harvesters that we have to import, they need foreign exchange.”

Aslam said Pakistan’s corporate farming model envisioned that sixty percent of the crops would contribute to the country’s food security, and the remaining 40 percent would be exported mainly to Gulf countries to earn foreign exchange. 

He said Pakistan had received a first export order of Fauji cereal products from a Gulf nation, though he declined to name the country:

“It is a starting quantum [that] is about $25 million worth of products in one year. But I think as we break more grounds this will continue to increase in the coming years.” 

Responding to concerns about the army’s involvement in economic projects in Pakistan, he said the military was only contributing where requested by the civilian government.

“They [foreign countries] wanted an organization which provides continuity or security of their investment, that was the reason the army joined in and then the army also said we have such a large [investment] potential available,” the FonGrow CEO said.

“In the past also, the army has very willingly contributed to projects of nation-building and national importance … Army is playing its part, but no soldiers are involved.”


Saudi environment ministry initiates programs to propel agricultural sector growth

Updated 13 sec ago
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Saudi environment ministry initiates programs to propel agricultural sector growth

RIYADH: Several initiatives are underway in Saudi Arabia by the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture to drive the growth of the agricultural sector and bolster its contribution to the gross domestic product through strategic training and investment incentives. 

Among these efforts are projects aimed at localizing agricultural professions through comprehensive training programs. The focus is on qualifying professionals in various fields, ranging from fishing trades to livestock management, beekeeping, and honey production. 

Additional government support is being extended through a series of legislative decisions, with the objective of enforcing high-quality standards for Saudi products. This is achieved by issuing food quality certificates and expediting the procedures for obtaining agricultural licenses.

The support also encompasses the provision of subsidies and the allocation of soft agricultural loans through the Agricultural Development Fund, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The ministry has introduced distinct labels for agricultural products, fish, and livestock in the Kingdom. These labels include “Organic,” “Fish,” “Saudi Dates,” and “Saudi Qab” certification. 

This allows farmers and investors to market and export their products, thereby expanding opportunities in both local and global markets. Simultaneously, it provides a dependable means to ensure quality and safety standards. 

This came during a workshop organized by the ministry, aligning with the Vision 2030 objectives for food security and sustainable agricultural development. The workshop was conducted under the title “Future Prospects for Investment in the Agriculture and Aquaculture Sector.” 

The workshop took place with the attendance of various private sector companies, investors, and experts in the agriculture and aquaculture sectors within the Kingdom, as reported by the SPA. 
Participants in the workshop expressed their consensus that the ministry is actively working toward implementing numerous initiatives and programs.  

These initiatives aim to foster and implement sound agricultural practices, advance applied agricultural research, and fortify frameworks for the sustainable development of food consumption. 

Moreover, the ministry reiterated its commitment to establishing the previously announced Regional Center for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, demonstrating its dedication to supporting the aquaculture industry. 

The measures implemented by the ministry resulted in a substantial boost to the agricultural sector’s contribution to the GDP, reaching approximately SR100 billion ($27 billion) in 2022.  

Concurrently, total food production surged to around 11 million tons, contributing significantly to price stability and elevating self-sufficiency rates for essential goods and products in the Kingdom.


UAE’s non-oil activities steady as PMI hits 57 in November: S&P Global

Updated 25 min 3 sec ago
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UAE’s non-oil activities steady as PMI hits 57 in November: S&P Global

RIYADH: The growth of non-oil activities in the UAE was steady in November, driven by a sharp rise in new business inflows and efforts to rapidly replenish and build stocks in the face of healthy demand conditions, an economy tracker showed.  

The latest S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index report revealed that the UAE’s PMI hit 57 in November, slightly down from 57.7 in October.  

Despite this slight decline, the PMI of the Emirates remained well above the neutral threshold of 50, indicating a continued improvement in business conditions.  

David Owen, senior economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said: “The strong run of demand growth in the UAE non-oil economy sparked a rapid increase in input buying during November, as firms looked to ensure they were in a good position to take advantage of growth opportunities.”  

He added: “Indeed, the uplift in buying — the fastest since July 2019 — supported the most rapid build-up of stocks in close to six years, benefiting both local businesses and trade partners.” 

The report revealed that operating conditions for non-oil private firms improved rapidly midway through the final quarter, supported by strong trends for new business, output and inventories.  

S&P Global added that sustained growth in new business also led to an acceleration in purchasing activity in November. 

The report pointed out that overall cost inflation in November remained stronger than recent trends, but selling prices were largely stable.  

On the flip side, some companies that took part in the PMI survey expressed a clear drop in their confidence level about the future due to concerns about competitive pressures.  

Even though the expansion in total sales was one of the fastest seen in close to four-and-a-half years, it slowed markedly from October, as some firms noted greater competitive pressures and a softer rise in new export business.  

“Businesses were much less upbeat about the future path of activity, as some survey panellists reiterated concerns that a large number of firms are entering the market. The build-up of competition was likely a key factor behind stock-building efforts, with businesses wary of falling behind in a fast-growing economy,” explained Owen.  


Saudi Arabia’s real estate supply reservations more than double

Updated 06 December 2023
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Saudi Arabia’s real estate supply reservations more than double

RIYADH: Citizens in Saudi Arabia are gaining greater access to residential units as the real estate supply reservations surged 110 percent year on year in November to reach 12,503, according to new figures.    
The Kingdom’s National Housing Co. announced that residential units were sold at competitive prices starting from SR250,000 ($66,649) compared to the previous year’s rates, in which the lowest contract amounted to SR321,000 per residential unit, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
This falls in line with the Gulf country’s plans and strategies to launch several extensive residential projects in order to achieve a balance between population growth and rapid urban expansion.   
This also comes as the rise in population density has led to increased demand for housing, meaning the Kingdom is working to boost the real estate supply to meet this need, aligning with a sustainable urban approach.
This rapid increase in reservations is mainly attributed to the launch of a number of residential projects in various regions, the most prominent of which is the inauguration of the Al-Fursan Suburb in Riyadh which aims to provide the largest real estate supply with a high level of quality and luxury. Other projects include the Sadayem Suburb which was launched in Jeddah along with many housing schemes in distinctive locations within the main cities.
In fact, the number of residential projects reached 46 during 2023, thereby cementing Saudi Arabia’s innovative model for real estate development.
National Housing Co. is the leader and enabler of the real estate development sector and the largest major developer of suburbs and residential communities in the Kingdom characterized by quality of life.  The company pumps more than 300,000 housing units into eight suburbs and six residential communities on an area of more than 120 million sq. meters, accommodating more than 1 million citizens.
It seeks to find solutions to secure supply chains with high quality and more sustainable construction materials, as part of the company’s keenness to increase the real estate supply with residential options according to international standards.
All the firm’s efforts are directed to achieving the goals of the housing program by raising the percentage of residential ownership for Saudi families to 70 percent by 2030.


Council of Ministers to approve Saudi general budget on Wednesday

Updated 05 December 2023
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Council of Ministers to approve Saudi general budget on Wednesday

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers will hold a session on Wednesday to approve the Kingdom’s general budget for the new fiscal year, Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

A preliminary budget statement issued in October showed predictions of real gross domestic product growing by 0.03 percent this year compared with a previous forecast for growth of 3.1 percent.

The document also projected the government would post a budget deficit of 1.9 percent of the gross domestic project in 2024, 1.6 percent of GDP in 2025, and 2.3 percent of GDP in 2026.

The statement said “limited budget deficits” would continue in the medium term.

Meanwhile, total expenditure was seen as rising to SR1.262 billion in 2023, from an earlier estimate of SR1.114 billion, before slowing down marginally to SR1.251 billion in 2024.

A government press conference will be held on Wednesday, with the participation of Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan, during which he will address the state’s general budget for the next fiscal year, and the numbers and indicators of the contents of the budget will be announced.
The finance minister will also answer questions during the conference, which will be broadcast live on Saudi channels.


Saudi Arabia offers tax incentives for companies moving regional HQs to Riyadh

Updated 06 December 2023
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Saudi Arabia offers tax incentives for companies moving regional HQs to Riyadh

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday it will offer tax incentives for foreign companies that locate their regional headquarters in the Kingdom, including a 30-year exemption for corporate income tax.

The tax incentives include zero income tax for foreign entities that move their regional headquarters in the Kingdom, and these benefits can be availed from the date of the regional headquarters issuance license, according to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment. 

Saudi Arabia’s program to attract foreign companies to open their regional headquarters in the Kingdom is a joint initiative between the Ministry of Investment and the Royal Commission for Riyadh City. 

The regional headquarters program aims to encourage international companies to open their regional headquarters in the Middle East and North Africa region in Saudi Arabia, and to materialize that the Kingdom is offering a wide range of benefits and incentives. 

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Investment Khalid Al Falih said that Saudi Arabia is offering more incentives to foreign companies which open their regional headquarters in the Kingdom which includes special benefits for firms complying with Saudization requirements. 

He added that the friendly business environment in Saudi Arabia has made over 200 companies relocate their headquarters to the Kingdom. 

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said: “The new tax exemptions, granted on the activities of regional headquarters of international companies in the Kingdom will give these firms more clarity of vision and stability, which will enhance their capabilities for future planning and expanding their business in the region, starting from the Kingdom,” Al-Ekhbariya reported. 

Earlier in November, Al-Falih said that Saudi Arabia has already surpassed the targets of the regional headquarters program which aimed to attract 160 international firms by the end of this year. 

In an interview with Bloomberg, Al-Falih noted that the regional headquarters program is a long journey and added that the Kingdom is working with international entities to create the right ecosystem to open their offices in Saudi Arabia. 

Some of the noted companies that opened their regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia in recent months are PwC Middle East and GE Healthcare. 

He also added that Saudi Arabia is a stable destination for international investors, at a time of geopolitical tensions and economic headwinds.