Riyadh Seeks to Boost Food Security with Thai Partnerships

The Saudi delegation meets with Thai officials in Bangkok. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi delegation meets with Thai officials in Bangkok. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Riyadh Seeks to Boost Food Security with Thai Partnerships

The Saudi delegation meets with Thai officials in Bangkok. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi delegation meets with Thai officials in Bangkok. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

A Thai official revealed his country’s efforts to build bilateral partnerships with Saudi Arabia to enhance food security, stressing that his country would study and address challenges facing Saudi investors in exporting to Thailand.

He made his remarks during a meeting in Bangkok on Tuesday that brought together Thailand’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperative Societies and a delegation from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Riyadh.

The Thai official underlined the importance of the meeting, noting that the Saudi delegation, which boasted over 100 businessmen, was the first and largest to visit Thailand in 32 years.

Chairman of the Agriculture and Water Committee in the Riyadh Chamber Dr. Ibrahim Al-Turki said the Kingdom was interested in strengthening its capabilities and developing its investment and trade relations with countries across the globe to promote food security. He noted that Thailand’s huge agricultural wealth would have a major role in forging more partnerships with Saudi Arabia.

He added that Thailand’s advanced technologies in agriculture were a source of confidence and a great opportunity for the Saudis to build multiple partnerships in this particular field.

Trade and economic relations between Saudi Arabia and Thailand were recently revived after being suspended for three decades.

The Saudi-Thai Investment Forum was launched in May in the Saudi capital, where a number of MoUs were signed between the Ministry of Investment and an official Thai delegation.

The delegation of the Riyadh Chamber discussed in Thailand opportunities for cooperation in mining technologies, in addition to strengthening partnership in the field of research and industrial consultancy.



Oil Recovers after Slide as US Inventory Drop

A view shows an oil pump jack outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
A view shows an oil pump jack outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
TT

Oil Recovers after Slide as US Inventory Drop

A view shows an oil pump jack outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
A view shows an oil pump jack outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Oil climbed more than 1% on Wednesday, paring some of the previous day's losses, as a drop in US crude inventories and concern about Hurricane Francine disrupting US output countered concerns about weak global demand.

US crude stocks fell by 2.793 million barrels, gasoline declined by 513,000 barrels and distillates inventories rose by 191,000 barrels, according to market sources citing the latest week's American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday.

Brent crude futures were up $1.10, or 1.6%, to $70.29 a barrel at 0807 GMT, while US crude futures gained $1.11, or 1.7%, to $66.86.

"The API provided some comfort as it showed a sizable decline in crude oil stocks, a forecast-beating draw in gasoline and a tiny build in distillate inventories," said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM, Reuters reported.

Both oil benchmarks tanked on Tuesday, with Brent falling below $70 to its lowest since December 2021 and US crude dropping to its lowest since May 2023, after OPEC revised down its 2024 oil demand growth forecast for a second time.

Concern about Hurricane Francine disrupting output in the United States, the world's biggest producer, also lent support, other analysts said.

"The market rebounded autonomously as Tuesday's drop was substantial," said Yuki Takashima, economist at Nomura Securities, adding supply disruption fears from Francine also lent support.

About 24% of crude production and 26% of natural gas output in the US Gulf of Mexico were offline due to the storm, the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) said on Tuesday.

Following Tuesday's report from the API, an industry group, official inventory figures from the US government are due out at 1430 GMT.

Eleven analysts polled by Reuters estimated on average that crude inventories rose by about 1 million barrels and gasoline stocks fell by 0.1 million barrels.