The Ministry of Agriculture has punished 168 Saudis and expatriates for transporting palm seedlings without carrying certificates issued by the ministry that ensure the seedlings are not infected by red palm weevils.
“Transporting palm seedlings without certificate is a clear violation of our regulations,” the ministry said. “All trucks carrying palm seedlings will be checked and those who do not possess certificates issued by the ministry will be punished,” it added.
The ministry said trucks carrying such seedlings without certificates would be caught and parked at the nearest police station until the fine is paid.
Fahd Al-Saaqan, director of the department for agricultural protection, said a fine of SR 5,000 would be imposed on each violator for the first time, adding that the fine would double if the violation is repeated.
He commended ministry officials as well as security officers for keeping a watch on people carrying palm seedlings to different parts of the Kingdom without permission.
“There are some people who exploit the ignorance of truck drivers in transporting unauthorized palm seedlings from one city to another,” Al-Saaqan said.
He said the cities that apply agricultural quarantine include Qatif, Al-Ahsa, Wadi Al-Dawasser and Al-Kharj as well as Quraieya, Dareya, Riyadh, Tabuk and Najran, Unaizah, Riyadh Al-Khobara, Buraidah and Bakeriya.
He urged Saudis and expatriates not to carry any palm seedlings from one farm to another or one city to another or one region to another without the ministry’s permission.
168 fined for transporting palm seedlings illegally
168 fined for transporting palm seedlings illegally
Saudi Arabia led green building performance regionally in 2025: Report
- Saudi Arabia achieved the highest regional score of 76.31 points and certified more than 1.03 million sq. meters of sustainable building space
- Results reflect measurable efficiency gains across 6,662 projects completed since 2010, marking a new regional benchmark for measurable sustainability progress
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia led the region in sustainable building performance and environmental impact in 2025, according to the Saaf index developed by the Saudi Green Building Forum.
Saudi Arabia achieved the highest regional score of 76.31 points and certified more than 1.03 million sq. meters of sustainable building space, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
These results reflect measurable efficiency gains across 6,662 projects completed since 2010, marking a new regional benchmark for measurable sustainability progress and institutional excellence.
The achievement underscores Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in advancing sustainable construction across the Middle East and supports the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives for cleaner growth, resource efficiency and climate resilience through data‑driven environmental performance.
Faisal Al‑Fadl, secretary‑general of SGBF, said that 2025 represented a major turning point toward a measurable, institutional sustainability strategy that united policy, technology and practice.
He added that the approach extended beyond renewable energy, clean water and eco‑friendly materials to embed sustainability in economic planning and public development programs, made possible through integrated efforts with regional governments and public institutions.
The Saaf index provides a specialized regional framework for measuring efficiency and resilience through the Sufficiency and Resilience Composite Index, or SCI, enabling precise performance assessments.
Findings show that the sector has evolved into a cohesive strategy integrating project delivery, professional capacity building, market innovation and climate action.
According to the SGBF review, Saudi Arabia’s achievements reflect its ability to combine quality implementation, institutional maturity and scale.
Environmentally, green building projects achieved an estimated 62,800 tonnes of carbon‑equivalent annual reduction and earned 29 professional recognitions, reinforcing growing international acknowledgment of Saudi leadership in sustainability.
The data also underscore SGBF’s role as a professional partner in advancing methodologies, applications and impact measurement within non‑governmental frameworks that link policy and practical execution.
More than 7,300 professionals across 22 Arab countries engaged with the Saaf platform in 2025, alongside numerous business‑driven initiatives expanding the region’s sustainable‑development footprint.
Al‑Fadl said that the period from 2025 to 2026 would act as a bridge toward Vision 2030, strengthening a model in which sustainable buildings were managed by impact, measured through indicators and implemented via lasting partnerships.
SGBF serves as the Kingdom’s leading platform for advancing sustainable construction and green design. It unites experts, innovators and practitioners dedicated to building environmentally responsible and high‑performance structures.
Through continuous education, certification and collaboration, SGBF drives the transformation of Saudi Arabia’s building sector — minimizing environmental impact, promoting resource efficiency and improving overall quality of life for communities nationwide.
