When we look at the process of industrial growth in the Asir Region, we find that its economy went through a period of weakness until the year 1390 AH,
When we look at the process of industrial growth in the Asir Region, we find that its economy went through a period of weakness until the year 1390 AH, when it relied on pastoralism, primitive agriculture, and some commercial exchanges dominated by barter, while the industrial side was limited to some primitive handicrafts. It was also devoid of sources of financial financing, banks, and exchange institutions, and at that time it was devoid of paved roads. The number of cars in Abha in 1387 AH did not exceed 13 cars for people. They are known.
In the year 1390 AH, the situation began to change, and the Asir region entered a new era of economic growth, starting with the establishment of infrastructure, as a result of which trade flourished and supported agriculture and industry, and soft government lending institutions and commercial banks began their work.
When we look at the process of industrial growth in the Asir Region, we find that its economy went through a period of weakness until the year 1390 AH, when it relied on pastoralism, primitive agriculture, and some commercial exchanges dominated by barter, while the industrial side was limited to some primitive handicrafts. It was also devoid of sources of financial financing, banks, and exchange institutions, and at that time it was devoid of paved roads.
The number of cars in Abha in 1387 AH did not exceed 13 cars for people. They are known. In the year 1390 AH, the situation began to change, and the Asir region entered a new era of economic growth, starting with the establishment of infrastructure, as a result of which trade flourished and supported agriculture and industry, and soft government lending institutions and commercial banks began their work.
In a short period of time, Asir moved to the services stage, where within a few years, due to its tourist status, it occupied the highest rank in the level of the services structure, as it was estimated in Asir at more than 42% compared to 41.4% at the level of the Kingdom, and the industrial sector witnessed during Over the past years, there has been significant growth, whether in terms of quantity, type, or technology used in manufacturing.
Support, encouragement, and the availability of many of the necessary components for the industrial sector in the region helped to localize these licensed factories within a short period of approximately two decades, with a total financing of one billion seven hundred and eighteen million riyals.
There was a steady increase in the quantity and type of industry in the Asir Region after the actual start of the establishment of industrial cities, the first of which was the industrial city in Khamis Mushayat Governorate, which was built on a total area of 2,623,582 square meters. In the year 1410 AH/1990 AD, the industrial city was established in Abha on an area of 2.7 million square meters that was fully developed.
It combines an ideal location between the cities of Abha and Khamis Mushayat, and provides advanced basic services such as road networks, electricity, industrial security services, and others.
Among the advantages of investing in the industrial city of Asir is that renting industrial lands for long periods, starting from one Saudi riyal per square meter annually, and in exchange for the costs of the
Authority’s expenses for preparing the land for leasing (20) riyals per square meter, paid once, and the possibility of obtaining financial facilities and government loans of up to 75%, customs exemption for machinery, equipment, and raw materials involved in the industry, and delivering the land within a short period from the date of submitting the application electronically through the Authority’s website.
Thus, Asir Region has become a region that exports many industries outside the Kingdom, the most important of which are cement, carbonated water, household paints, and dyes.
The building materials, china, ceramics and glass activity represents a primary activity with a financing volume of approximately 102,221 million riyals during the past years, followed by the food and beverage activity, where the financing volume in this activity in the region reached 305.28 million riyals.
The cumulative total number of producing factories (national and foreign) in the Asir Region until the end of the year 1422 AH reached 84 factories, in which the total capital invested amounted to about 1,645.53 million riyals, employing 3,831 workers.
The building materials industry is considered the largest industrial group in terms of the number of factories, as its number reached 41 factories, representing 48.8% of the total number of factories produced, followed by metal products, machinery and equipment, which numbered 15 factories, representing 17.9%, followed by foodstuffs, which numbered 12 factories, representing 14.3%.
These three industries represent 81% of the total number of factories, while the other industries combined represent only 19%. The value of industrial loans approved by the Saudi Industrial Development Fund in Asir Region until the date of 4/30/1420 AH amounted to about 410 million riyals, according to the various industrial activities approved by the Ministry of Industry and Electricity.
On February 6, 2020, Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, Emir of Asir Region, announced the allocation of 17 million square meters to establish the second industrial city in Asir, which is located in the Al-Hafayr Center (90 kilometers northwest of Khamis Mushayat Governorate).
His Highness discussed ways to promote industrial development in the region, reviewing the most important projects being implemented in the industrial city and the stages of developing basic services and infrastructure in order to create an attractive environment for local and foreign investments, as well as optimal exploitation of the qualitative investment advantages that the region enjoys.
