المملكة: “Waqa”: A two-year quarantine and a ban on the expansion of imported olive cultivation

The National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases “Weqaa” revealed a firm approach to impose new strict requirements on the import of Olive seedlings and plant families of the Xylella fastidiosa bacteria from countries registered for infection, through a project presented on the “Reconnaissance” platform that aims to build a protective fence that protects the Kingdom’s vegetation from the infiltration of deadly pests.

The new move establishes a strict regulatory framework that ensures that incoming plant consignments are free of any bacterial contaminants, with a focus on conforming to the unified Gulf standards for seeds and seeds, which enhances confidence between importers and farmers and raises the level of transparency in the input market. Agricultural.

The draft requirements resolved the controversy over genetically modified products, as they categorically prohibited the import of any seedlings taken from genetically modified “mothers” or produced from modified origins, to ensure the safety of local genetic assets.

The new regulations restricted the import of seedlings Olive for the specific purpose of “replacing” or converting to advanced agricultural systems within the same geographical area previously cultivated, blocking the way to any horizontal expansion into new areas using seedlings imported from infected countries.

The Center obligated importers to submit accurate files for each country of origin separately, including purchase invoices indicating the scientific name of the plant, with the requirement that the seedlings come exclusively from nurseries officially approved by the National Plant Protection Organization. In the country of export.

The requirements imposed precise technical standards for the growing environment, as the import of seedlings grown in natural soil is prohibited, and they are required to be planted in approved alternative growing media such as “peat moss” or “perlite” to ensure that soil pests are not transmitted.

Weqaa stressed the necessity of having an “identification card” attached to each seedling that includes the date of planting, the name of the nursery, the variety, and the origin, to facilitate the tracking process, in addition to the necessity of conducting a careful laboratory examination to detect bacteria 15 days before the date of shipment, and certified by the official authorities in the country of export.

The procedures did not stop at the borders, but rather extended beyond arrival, as the seedlings are subjected to a thorough visual and laboratory examination at the ports with confidence. 95%, and if they are safe, they will be transferred to approved quarantine nurseries to remain under strict supervision for two full years, during which it is prohibited to take any vegetative cuttings from them for propagation.

The Center granted itself the sovereign right to immediately suspend import permits and prevent the entry of any shipment, even if it is on its way to arrive, in the event that reports appear confirming the spread of bacteria in the exporting country, in order to prioritize the public interest and protect the national plant wealth.