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The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources said in a statement that the July applications covered 7,055 raw material items in addition to 13,707 items related to machinery, equipment and spare parts. This work falls within the ministry’s drive to encourage domestic industry and raise its global competitiveness by granting national industrial establishments exemptions from customs duties on imports of production inputs. The customs exemption service forms one element in a broader package of incentives and facilities that the industry and mining ecosystem offers to ease the path for industrial investors from initial concept through to enabling, production and export.
According to the ministry, industrial establishments obtain the exemption in a short period via streamlined procedures conducted on the digital “Sanaei” platform for ministry services. Eligible facilities must hold an industrial license before they can secure duty relief on imports ranging from raw materials and semi-finished goods to packaging materials used directly in manufacturing. The process ensures that manufacturers face reduced bureaucratic obstacles when bringing in essential components for their operations.
Ministry figures for preceding months show comparable activity levels, with 1,274 applications handled in June that encompassed 4,662 raw material items and 13,974 entries for machinery along with equipment and spare parts. In May the total reached 1,051 applications that included 4,164 raw material items and 6,896 for machinery and related goods. These monthly totals demonstrate steady uptake of the program among Saudi industrial operators seeking cost reductions.
The ministry indicated that the exemption service corresponds with targets set in the National Industrial Strategy aimed at empowering the Saudi industrial sector, expanding its productive base and increasing its contribution to the wider economy. By lowering input costs the measure supports development of national production sectors and helps generate additional industrial opportunities across the kingdom. Officials have noted that the digital platform has markedly shortened approval times relative to earlier manual systems.
Further data from the ministry underscores that the exemptions apply specifically to items required for core production activities, thereby assisting factories in maintaining competitive pricing in both local and export markets. The program has become a key tool for industrial facilities navigating global supply chain pressures while investing in capacity expansion. Such support mechanisms form part of sustained government focus on strengthening the manufacturing sector’s resilience and growth potential.
