The Saudi Ministry of Economy and Planning has conveyed that actions taken recently in the framework of efforts to rationalize water consumption in the agriculture sector, such as wheat and barley, did not "lead to a significant reduction in water consumption, due to the shift to alternative crops. However, it has reduced the relative size of the crops and cultivated areas. "
This recent announcement is in accordance with the views expressed by agricultural experts that the recent procedures for water conservation, especially in the cultivation of wheat led to increased water consumption in the agricultural sector due to go to the cultivation of green fodder, which is grown throughout the year, unlike wheat, which is limited to four months from January to May. It should be noted that the new Saudi development plan which extends to 2014 aims at reducing demand for water in the agricultural sector by an annual rate of around 3.7 per cent over the next five years, from about 15 billion cubic meters to 12 billion cubic meters.
