Significant savings in irrigation water and fertilizers.
Double production per unit area.
Savings in agricultural labor.
Speed ​​crop production.
Reduced use of pesticides.
Easier pest and disease control.
Eliminating the need for organic fertilizers.
Production of crops outside their normal seasons.

Agricultural production sector in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries

There is no doubt that the agricultural sector is of great importance to the world’s economies today. It helps achieve self-sufficiency and food security, reduces unemployment and alleviates poverty, and is the primary source of raw materials for many manufacturing industries. This vital sector employs approximately 935.6 million workers, representing 28.3% of the global labor force.

• According to the latest statistics, the total plant production in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries of various agricultural crops is estimated at approximately 8.7 million tons. It is noted that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia alone contributes 60.5% of the Gulf’s plant production, followed by the Sultanate of Oman with approximately 19.1%, the UAE with 12.5%, and the remaining countries share the remaining percentage.
• Vegetables constitute 41% of the Gulf’s plant production. Vegetables are the top product in the Gulf’s plant production in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.
• Saudi Arabia leads the region in vegetable production, accounting for 55.1% of total production.
• Grains constitute 7% of the total plant production in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, amounting to 1.9 million tons. The UAE leads the rest of the GCC countries in grain production, with its contribution reaching 42.9%.
• According to the latest statistics, the total amount of fish caught in the GCC countries was estimated at 740 tons, with the Sultanate of Oman accounting for 74.8% of this total.
• There are 124,700 people working as fishermen in the GCC countries (40% of them in Oman, and 33% of them in the UAE).
• There are 41,100 fishing boats in the GCC countries, with Oman accounting for 57.7% of them, followed by Saudi Arabia with 26.6%.

• Despite all of the above, this sector’s contribution to global GDP does not exceed 4%. This percentage must be reconsidered for the future. By 2050, the world’s population will exceed 9 billion, and the agricultural sector alone will be responsible for feeding this population and protecting them from the abyss of hunger.
• The total area of ​​the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is estimated at approximately 2.4 million square kilometers, with the cultivated area of ​​this land amounting to 11.8 thousand square kilometers, representing 0.5% of the total area of ​​the GCC countries.
• GCC countries are similar in that the cultivated area compared to the total area does not exceed 1%, with the exception of the Kingdom of Bahrain, where the percentage of cultivated land reaches 4.8% of the total area.
• Fruit production in the GCC is expected to boom in the coming years, with a compound annual growth rate of 3.8%.

Global agricultural production sector.

Over the past 20 years, the added value of agriculture has increased by 73% to US$3.5 trillion.

Agriculture represents 4% of global GDP.

Agriculture employs 874 million people, representing about 27% of the world’s total workforce.

4.8 billion hectares is the total agricultural area in the world, divided into (3.2 billion hectares of meadows and pastures and 1.6 billion hectares of crops).

9.4 billion tons is the total production of primary crops in the world.

337 million tons is the total world production of red and white meat.

883 million tons is the total world fruit production.

1128 million tons is the total world production of vegetables.

201 million tons is the total world production of vegetable oils.

883 million tons is the total world milk production.

83 million tons is the total world egg production.