Within a few years, integrated crop protection and sustainable cultivation must be available to all growers in Saudi Arabia. That is the ambitious objective of Alyaseen Agri. The company has already enjoyed great success with Koppert’s bumblebees. Knowledge transfer and service are the key words in this regard. Alyaseen Agri will now also use this approach with regard to natural enemies and other Koppert products. ‘Our ambition is to ensure zero problems for our clients.’
Alyaseen Agri is a family company run by the three brothers Mansour, Mahdi (chairman), and Sadek Al-Ramadan (general manager). The company’s headquarters are in Ahsa, not far from the capital, Riyadh. Alyaseen Agri employs 110 people in its ten branches, and supplies products including seeds, artificial fertilizers, and plant protection agents to more than seven hundred clients in the subsectors of vegetable cultivation, fruit cultivation, arable farming, the cultivation of fodder crops, grain cultivation, and landscape preservation.
The greenhouse companies average 10 to 20 hectares in size, while the open-field farms measure 150 hectares on average. The farms sell their products primarily on the domestic market.
An eye for food safety
Saudi society is also making its voice heard, and there are calls for a clean agricultural and horticultural sector. The government is responding to this, and is working on the construction of laboratories, close to the production areas, which will check the products for residues.
‘The assignment is very clear,’ says general manager Sadek Al-Ramadan. ‘Like other countries, we must cultivate crops here in Saudi Arabia with food safety guarantees and great care for the environment. We are happy to take on this challenge. To this end, we set up a separate department for integrated cultivation in 2013. And we are happy that there is a good cooperative arrangement with Koppert Biological Systems.’
Accurate chain control
That cooperation began with the sale of Natupol bumblebees. Alyaseen made an important contribution towards ensuring that this Koppert product was able to reach the cultivation companies in this country in the right condition, despite extreme temperatures.
The company makes great efforts in chain control. The company discusses the anticipated demand for bumblebees with Koppert, and Koppert in turn modifies the production volumes accordingly. Alyaseen Agri then organizes flawless physical distribution, where necessary, with the use of climate- controlled storage. Koppert’s bumblebees arrive at Saudi Arabia’s main airport in Riyadh during the night. They are loaded into climate-controlled lorries as quickly as possible and delivered to the clients, who may be anywhere between 60 and 600 kilometres away.
Sadek Al-Ramadan explains: ‘Due to the extremely high temperatures in the desert, transportation during the day is not possible. By transporting the bumblebees at night, the colonies arrive at the cultivation premises fit and strong. They can set to work straight away. In this way we ensure that our clients receive their bumblebees in good time and in the best condition.’

‘Our ambition is to ensure zero problems for our clients. They need to be able to gain the maximum benefits from Koppert’s products,’ says Sadek Al-Ramadan.
Ample guidance for the client
The cooperative relationship with Koppert is constantly intensifying, as Alyaseen Agri also wants to make a success of integrated crop protection. How? On the basis of knowledge transfer and service. ‘We did the same with pollination,’ says Sadek Al-Ramadan. ‘Koppert provides our technical advisers with knowledge which they in turn pass on to our clients.
One question is always at the centre of our focus: How can they get the maximum benefits from bumblebees? We invest a great deal of time in providing guidance for our clients. We will set to work in exactly the same way in integrated crop protection.’
Zero problems for the client
The CEO of the supply company sees plenty of opportunities in the expansive kingdom of Saudi Arabia. When it comes to pollination, the focus crops are tomatoes, melons, watermelons, and stone fruits; in the case of natural enemies, all greenhouse crops are to be addressed; for products such as Trianum, NatuGro, and Fortafol, all covered and non-covered vegetable crops are to be targeted.
Together with Koppert, Alyaseen Agri is aiming for zero problems for its clients. If desired, clients receive training and information on the best ways of using Koppert’s products. The company leaves nothing to chance; every client must be informed about how to gain maximum effectiveness from the use of the products.
Sadek Al-Ramadan explains: The demand for Koppert’s systems and solutions is certain to grow. They have proven themselves economical
and effective on all farms. The mutual commitment between Koppert
and Alyaseen Agri is great. Together we can offer Saudi growers great assistance.’