RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources issued 72 industrial licenses with investment amounting to SR5.2 billion ($1.3 billion) during April, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Around 59 factories started operations during April, with investments of SR838 million and created 3,968 jobs. By the end of April, the number of existing and under construction factories in Saudi Arabia reached 10,561, according to a report issued by the National Industrial Information Center. The report showed that small industrial establishments represented 83 percent of the total new licenses issued during the last month, followed by medium enterprises with 15 percent and micro-enterprises by about 1.39 percent.