Saudi Arabia Unveils High Levels of Food Self-Sufficiency

People shop at a supermarket in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
People shop at a supermarket in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Unveils High Levels of Food Self-Sufficiency

People shop at a supermarket in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
People shop at a supermarket in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia announced on Monday that there are sufficient stocks of essential goods and food supplies to meet the market demand amid the coronavirus outbreak.

During a press conference, Dr. Abdullah Aba Al-Khail, spokesman for the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, said that all food production operations are continuing smoothly with sufficient strategic storage of basic commodities.

“The Kingdom has achieved high levels of sufficiency in many agricultural products. These include 60 percent of self-sufficiency in poultry, with production of one million tons annually, 60 percent in vegetables, with local production of about 180,000 tons per month, 109 percent in milk and dairy products, which is more than 7.5 million liters per day, and 55 percent in seafood products,” Aba Al-Khail said.

The ministry is working to meet the market’s needs such as wheat and flour, he added. The Saudi Grains Organization has stocks of up to two million bags of grains ready for distribution upon request, in addition to the daily production of flour, amounting to 15,000 tons, which completely covers the need of the local market.

More than 1.2 million tons of imported wheat will arrive before the end of July, which will be added to the strategic stocks of over one million tons.

The Kingdom has achieved 30 percent self-sufficiency in regards to red meat and the ministry has expanded import options that have reached 29 countries to date, with an average of six million heads of livestock annually.



GACA to Showcase Saudi Aviation Achievements at Bahrain International Airshow

GACA to Showcase Saudi Aviation Achievements at Bahrain International Airshow
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GACA to Showcase Saudi Aviation Achievements at Bahrain International Airshow

GACA to Showcase Saudi Aviation Achievements at Bahrain International Airshow

The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) will take part in the seventh edition of the Bahrain International Airshow, which will be held from November 13 to 15 at Sakhir Airbase.

The event will showcase the achievements of the Saudi aviation sector, highlight significant investment opportunities available, reinforce the Kingdom's leadership in the global aviation arena, and explore avenues for collaboration to develop a more prosperous aviation sector.
GACA Spokesperson Ibtisam Al-Shehri said that at the airshow, the authority will present its initiatives to develop regulations that promote growth and innovation in the Kingdom's aviation sector, and highlight the achievements of the National Aviation Strategy, which aims to secure $100 billion in investments, boost passenger traffic to 330 million and link the Kingdom to 250 international destinations by 2030.
She added that GACA will also introduce the Civil Aviation Environmental Sustainability Program, and emphasize its expertise in enhancing passenger experience and streamlining operational procedures, all in accordance with the latest international standards.
The Bahrain International Airshow will feature 11 sponsoring companies, 223 civil and military delegations from 56 countries, and more than 135 local, regional, and global companies.