Saudi Arabia Agriculture Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends and Forecast (2026 - 2031)

Saudi Arabia Agriculture Market Trends and Insights

Government Vision-2030 Subsidies and Grants

Vision 2030's agricultural financing programs are reshaping capital allocation patterns across the Kingdom's farming sector through unprecedented government support mechanisms. The Agricultural Development Fund provides up to 75% financing for greenhouse projects and modern irrigation systems, with tax holidays extending up to 10 years for qualifying agritech investments ^{[1]Source: Saudi Vision 2030, “Vision 2030 Programs,” Vision2030.gov.sa} . This financial backing has catalyzed a surge in controlled-environment agriculture, with companies like Topian (NEOM subsidiary) opening a 4-hectare climate-resilient greenhouse facility in Oxagon during 2025, marking the Kingdom's largest single investment in precision horticulture to date. The subsidy structure particularly favors water-efficient technologies, creating market incentives that align private sector returns with national water conservation objectives.

Food-Security Imperative Amid Import Dependence

Saudi Arabia's strategic push to reduce food import dependency has intensified following supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions affecting global trade routes. The Kingdom currently imports approximately 90-95% of its edible oil requirements and significant portions of its fresh produce, creating vulnerability to external price shocks and supply disruptions. Government mandates now require major food companies to demonstrate domestic sourcing capabilities, with SALIC launching National Grain Supply Company (SABIL) in April 2025 to manage strategic grain storage and procurement operations across 14 silo branches with combined capacity exceeding 2.7 million metric tons. This policy framework is driving vertical integration strategies among agricultural companies, as domestic production capacity becomes a competitive differentiator in government contract bidding processes.

Precision and Greenhouse Tech Adoption

Internet of Things sensors and automated climate control systems are transforming agricultural productivity metrics across Saudi Arabia's controlled-environment facilities. Research partnerships between domestic companies and South Korean technology providers have resulted in smart agriculture systems that integrate soil moisture sensors, weather monitoring, and automated irrigation controls to optimize resource utilization. Companies like FarmERP expanded into Saudi Arabia through partnerships with local technology integrator Seiyaj Tech in August 2024, providing cloud-based farm management platforms that enable real-time monitoring of crop health, irrigation schedules, and harvest timing across multiple cultivation sites.

National Water-Efficiency Programs

The National Water Strategy's emphasis on agricultural water conservation is driving systematic adoption of drip irrigation and micro-sprinkler systems that reduce water consumption by up to 40% compared to traditional flood irrigation methods. Government-funded infrastructure projects include the construction of advanced desalination facilities specifically designed for agricultural use, with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) researchers developing custom desalination technologies that produce irrigation-quality water at lower energy costs than conventional seawater treatment plants. The program's impact extends beyond water savings to soil health improvement, as precision irrigation reduces salt accumulation in agricultural soils and enables cultivation in previously marginal lands.

Extreme Aridity and Groundwater Depletion

Saudi Arabia's agricultural expansion faces fundamental water resource constraints as fossil aquifers decline at accelerating rates across major production regions. The Kingdom's non-renewable groundwater reserves are dropping by an average of 0.6 meters annually, with some agricultural areas experiencing depletion rates exceeding 1 meter per year ^{[2]Source: World Bank, “Saudi Arabia Water Data,” worldbank.org}. This hydrological challenge forces agricultural operators to invest in increasingly expensive water extraction equipment and deeper well drilling, driving up operational costs and threatening the economic viability of water-intensive crops. The situation is particularly acute in the Eastern Province and central regions, where traditional agricultural areas are experiencing well failures and declining water quality as aquifer levels drop below economically extractable depths.

High Capex for Modern Farming Systems

Greenhouse construction costs in Saudi Arabia exceed USD 1.2 million per hectare for advanced climate-controlled facilities, creating significant barriers to entry for small and medium-scale agricultural enterprises. The capital intensity of modern farming systems reflects the specialized equipment requirements for desert agriculture, including advanced cooling systems, automated irrigation networks, and soil-less growing media that can withstand extreme temperature variations. The high upfront investment requirements are concentrating market participation among well-capitalized corporate entities and government-backed development companies.

Segment Analysis

By Crop Type: Oilseeds Drive Import Substitution Strategy

Vegetables maintain the largest market share at 38% in 2025, driven by controlled-environment agriculture that enables year-round production of tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers despite extreme seasonal temperature variations. Growing vegetable output shortens import lines, trimming freight-driven carbon footprints in the Saudi Arabia agriculture market. Controlled environments stabilize supply in Ramadan and Hajj seasons when demand spikes. 

The oilseeds and pulses segment emerges as the fastest-growing crop category with a 10.2% CAGR forecast through 2031, reflecting Saudi Arabia's strategic imperative to reduce import dependency for protein-rich crops and cooking oils that currently account for over 90% of domestic consumption. Government incentives specifically target oilseed cultivation through subsidized land allocation and water access programs, with the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture prioritizing sunflower and soybean production in northern provinces where climate conditions support these temperate crops. 

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Geography Analysis

Saudi Arabia's agricultural market concentrates in the northern provinces of Al-Jouf, Tabuk, and Hail, which collectively account for the majority of the Kingdom's fresh produce output due to their relatively moderate climate conditions and groundwater availability. Al-Jouf Province has emerged as the primary agricultural hub, hosting major processing facilities, including Al-Jouf Agricultural Development Company's French-fries processing plant that opened in May 2024 with the capacity to serve both domestic and export markets ^{[3]Source: Al-Jouf Agricultural Development Company, “New Processing Plant Launch,”} .

The Eastern Province plays a strategic role in agricultural logistics and processing, with major companies like ARASCO (Arabian Agricultural Services Company) operating feed production facilities and Almarai maintaining large-scale dairy operations that support the livestock sector. The NEOM region in the northwest is developing into a showcase for advanced agricultural technologies, with Topian's 4-hectare climate-resilient greenhouse facility representing the largest single investment in precision horticulture within the Kingdom.

Central and southern regions face greater agricultural challenges due to extreme aridity and limited groundwater resources, though specialized crops like dates continue to thrive in traditional oasis systems. The government's National Water Strategy prioritizes these regions for advanced desalination infrastructure and water-efficient irrigation technologies that could unlock additional agricultural potential. Recent investments in cold-chain logistics infrastructure, including the development of 59 logistics centers by 2030 under the Saudi logistics master plan, are improving market access for producers in remote areas and reducing post-harvest losses that previously constrained profitability in marginal production zones.