Almarai’s fodder farm depleting groundwater, Arizona officials say

Community leaders in the U.S. state of Arizona have expressed concerns over the depletion of groundwater as companies from the Middle East—including Saudi Arabia’s Almarai Co.—have bought thousands of acres of land in the Arizona desert for large-scale farm operations, the Associated Press reported.

County leaders are worried about the future water supply and have sought the help of the state officials to make the companies pay more in property taxes and fees based on water depletion.

Last March, Almarai, Saudi Arabia’s largest dairy producer, bought 10,000 acres in Vicksburg, Arizona, for SAR 178 million, through its fully-owned subsidiary, Fondomonte Arizona LLC, to plant groundwater-guzzling alfalfa to make fodder for cows back home.

Fondomonte’s representative said the company is skilled at farming in arid environments and uses a drip irrigation system that allows crops to grow with less water than a typical alfalfa farm, the report added.