Members of the Council of Saudi Chambers (CSC) have urged the Minister of Labor Adel Fakeih to scrap the 6 percent Saudization quota for the farming sector because of the lack of Saudi laborers.
This appeal was made on Thursday by Eid Al-Ghadeer, chairman of the CSC national agricultural committee, Arab News has learned. Fakeih was locked in a closed meeting with members of the body’s 30 national committees.
However, Al-Ghadeer has asked the minister to retain the Saudization quota for agricultural engineers and administrative staff. The official was also reportedly seeking more work visas for seasonal farmers during harvesting periods.
There are currently 9 million Saudi and foreign workers in the Kingdom, with 48 percent employed in the construction and farming industry. Saudi farmers produce poultry, cattle, sheep and prawns.
Fakeih held a frank discussion with the businessmen at the chamber about the employment problems following the end of the amnesty on Nov. 3, which saw an exodus of illegal workers from the Kingdom, although many workers corrected their job status or found other sponsors.
Prior to the meeting, at the Riyadh Economic Forum on Tuesday, the labor minister said he wanted to hold discussions with members of the private sector to identify new areas of cooperation.
He had announced that he would not take any decisions on Saudi Arabia’s labor laws and policies without a mandate from the people.
He announced the launch of the ministry's "e-Gate" for this purpose.
Fakeih said he would answer any questions asked by members of the public through email. He said a minimum wage for the private and public sectors would be determined soon. A special committee was working on this issue.
Fakeih also said he currently chairs a committee comprising 37 deputy ministers to discuss government contracts and the workforce needed for projects. This was a reference to the shortage of expatriate workers in the construction sector in the wake of the government's crackdown on undocumented workers.
Businessmen lament lack of Saudi farm hands
