Agriculture License in Saudi Arabia
The license issued by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) for farming, livestock, dairy, poultry, fisheries and agricultural processing — with water-use approvals and land allocation where needed.
Issuing authority
Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA)
What it authorizes
Farming, livestock, dairy, fisheries and agricultural processing
Typical timeline
15-45 days (depends on activity)
Common entity types
LLC, JSC, Sole Proprietorship
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Who needs the agriculture license
The MEWA license for farming, livestock, fisheries and agricultural processing — aligned to Saudi food-security priorities.
Farming operators
Crops, greenhouses and hydroponics — including high-tech protected agriculture aligned with water-use priorities.
Livestock and dairy
Poultry, dairy, beef, sheep and goat operations, plus animal-feed production.
Fisheries and aquaculture
Coastal and offshore fisheries, fish farms and aquaculture facilities along the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf.
Agricultural processors
Processing and packaging of agricultural produce — dates, dairy products, processed meats, food preservation.
Activities this license covers
A representative list — we confirm the exact ISIC codes for your specific activity on the first call.
- Crop and greenhouse farming
- Hydroponics and protected agriculture
- Poultry, dairy and livestock
- Aquaculture and fisheries
- Agricultural processing and packaging
- Animal feed production
At a glance
- Issuing authority
- Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA)
- What it authorizes
- Farming, livestock, dairy, fisheries and agricultural processing
- Typical timeline
- 15-45 days (depends on activity)
- Common entity types
- LLC, JSC, Sole Proprietorship
- Government fee
- Varies by activity and land use
How we secure your agriculture license
One team coordinates every step — MISA, MoC and the sector regulator — so you deal with us, not the platforms.
Activity and site
Confirm your activity, location and water-source plan — water availability is the binding constraint in much of the Kingdom.
MEWA application
File the activity-specific application with the land, water and operational plans.
Sector approvals
Veterinary, food-safety or environmental clearances depending on what you produce.
Commercial registration
Issue the Commercial Registration and activate operational platforms.
Documents you'll typically need
- MISA investment license (foreign investors)
- Land deed or lease for the proposed site
- Water-source plan and MEWA water-use approval
- Livestock plan or crop plan (activity-dependent)
- Environmental clearance
- Veterinary or food-safety approvals for livestock and processing
Common questions
- What about water use?
- MEWA tightly regulates groundwater use. High-water-consumption crops face restrictions; protected agriculture, hydroponics and low-water crops are favoured under the National Agriculture Strategy.
- Is foreign ownership allowed?
- Yes for most agriculture activities under a MISA license. Some categories tied to strategic food security may require local partnership.
- What about food-safety approvals?
- Livestock, dairy and processed-food operations also need veterinary and food-safety approvals (SFDA) on top of the MEWA license.
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