Tanmiah Food Company, Tyson Foods Strengthen Strategic Partnership at Saudi Event

Part of the meeting between Saudi-based Tanmiah Food Company and US-based Tyson Foods, Inc. Asharq Al-Awsat
Part of the meeting between Saudi-based Tanmiah Food Company and US-based Tyson Foods, Inc. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Tanmiah Food Company, Tyson Foods Strengthen Strategic Partnership at Saudi Event

Part of the meeting between Saudi-based Tanmiah Food Company and US-based Tyson Foods, Inc. Asharq Al-Awsat
Part of the meeting between Saudi-based Tanmiah Food Company and US-based Tyson Foods, Inc. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi-based Tanmiah Food Company and US-based Tyson Foods, Inc. met this week in Jeddah to recognize their strategic partnership made in 2022 including the potential growth opportunities across the Kingdom and the Middle East.

The event was held by the Chairman of Tanmiah Food Company, Amr Al-Dabbagh, and joined by Saudi government guests, in addition to the US Consul General in Jeddah and the Commercial Counsul, and a number of private sector officials.

The partnership is well positioned to help sustainably meet the growing demand for poultry in the Kingdom, while also supporting Saudi Arabia’s food security goals and economic growth.

The companies discussed the growing Halal food market and the opportunities it presents to unlock future growth for the partnership. Both companies also discussed future expansion plans to increase the processing capacity of the Supreme Foods Processing Company. As per the partnership agreement, Tyson Foods and Tanmiah will be jointly investing in the expansion of further processing capacity. The expansion is anticipated to increase the total production capacity of Supreme Foods Processing to nearly 100,000 metric tons annually.

“It was an honor to welcome our partners at Tyson Foods to the Kingdom as we build momentum following the recent signing of our strategic partnership that will unlock growth across the Kingdom and improve access to high-quality processed poultry products. We also believe the partnership strengthens our commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s food security and self-sufficiency goals,” said Tanmiah’s CEO Zulifqar Hamadani.

Executive Board Member & Managing Director Ahmed Osilan said: “This partnership will contribute to food security goals and bring global expertise, standards and technology to the Saudi poultry market, supporting the Kingdom’s non-oil economy while also generating hundreds of jobs.”

Tyson Foods President, International and Chief Administrative Officer Amy Tu said that a key part of his company’s strategic plan is to meet the growing global demand for protein and to serve customers and consumers with products tailored to the local market and region.

He said the partnership with Tanmiah Food “will allow us to address that plan, especially the growing demand for Halal food. We are excited to build a long-term partnership and drive future economic activity in the Kingdom.”

As for TAN Sun, President, Tyson Foods Asia Pacific, he said: “We are committed to working together to drive operational excellence and deliver high-quality poultry products across the region. We are aligned on the need for future expansion across the value chain and improvements to production processes. We look forward to further collaboration.”



US Tariffs Could Slow China's Growth to 4.5% in 2025

People walk past a billboard which reads I love Beijing, Happy New Year at 798 art district, ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year, marking the Year of the Snake, in Beijing on January 14, 2025. (Photo by JADE GAO / AFP)
People walk past a billboard which reads I love Beijing, Happy New Year at 798 art district, ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year, marking the Year of the Snake, in Beijing on January 14, 2025. (Photo by JADE GAO / AFP)
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US Tariffs Could Slow China's Growth to 4.5% in 2025

People walk past a billboard which reads I love Beijing, Happy New Year at 798 art district, ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year, marking the Year of the Snake, in Beijing on January 14, 2025. (Photo by JADE GAO / AFP)
People walk past a billboard which reads I love Beijing, Happy New Year at 798 art district, ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year, marking the Year of the Snake, in Beijing on January 14, 2025. (Photo by JADE GAO / AFP)

China's economic growth is likely to slow to 4.5% in 2025 and cool further to 4.2% in 2026, a Reuters poll showed, with policymakers poised to roll out fresh stimulus measures to soften the blow from impending US tariff hikes.

Gross domestic product (GDP) likely grew 4.9% in 2024 - largely meeting the government's annual growth target of around 5%, helped by stimulus measures and strong exports, according to the median forecasts of 64 economists polled by Reuters.

But the world's second-largest economy faces heightened trade tensions with the United States as President-elect Donald Trump, who has proposed hefty tariffs on Chinese goods, is set to return to the White House next week.

“Potential US tariff hikes are the biggest headwind for China's growth this year, and could affect exports, corporate capex and household consumption,” analysts at UBS said in a note.

“We (also) foresee property activity continuing to fall in 2025, though with a smaller drag on growth.”

Growth likely improved to 5.0% in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, quickening from the third-quarter's 4.6% pace as a flurry of support measures began to kick in, the poll showed.

On a quarterly basis, the economy is forecast to grow 1.6% in the fourth quarter, compared with 0.9% in July-September, the poll showed.

The government is due to release fourth-quarter and full-year GDP data, along with December activity data, on Friday.

China's economy has struggled for traction since a post-pandemic rebound quickly fizzled out, with a protracted property crisis, weak demand and high local government debt levels weighing heavily on activity, souring both business and consumer confidence.

Policymakers have unveiled a blitz of stimulus measures since September, including cuts in interest rates and banks' reserve requirements ratios (RRR) and a 10 trillion yuan ($1.36 trillion) municipal debt package.

They have also expanded a trade-in scheme for consumer goods such as appliances and autos, helping to revive retail sales.

Analysts expect more stimulus to be rolled out this year, but say the scope and size of China's moves may depend on how quickly and aggressively Trump implements tariffs or other punitive measures.

More stimulus on the cards

At an agenda-setting meeting in December, Chinese leaders pledged to increase the budget deficit, issue more debt and loosen monetary policy to support economic growth in 2025.

Leaders have agreed to maintain an annual growth target of around 5% for this year, backed by a record high budget deficit ratio of 4% and 3 trillion yuan in special treasury bonds, Reuters has reported, citing sources.

The government is expected to unveil growth targets and stimulus plans during the annual parliament meeting in March.

Faced with mounting economic risks and deflationary pressures, top leaders in December ditched their 14-year-old “prudent” monetary policy stance for a “moderately loose” posture.

China's central bank is expected to deploy its most aggressive monetary tactics in a decade this year as it tries to revive the economy, but in doing so it risks quickly exhausting its firepower. It has already had to repeatedly shore up its defense of the yuan currency as downward pressure pushes it to 16-month lows.

Analysts polled by Reuters expected the central bank to cut the seven-day reverse repo rate, its key policy rate, by 10 basis points in the first quarter, leading to a same cut in the one-year loan prime rate (LPR) - the benchmark lending rate.

The PBOC may also cut the weighted average reserve requirement ratio (RRR) for banks by at least 25 basis points in the first quarter, the poll showed, after two cuts in 2024.

Consumer inflation will likely pick up to 0.8% in 2025 from 0.2% in 2024, and rise further to 1.4% in 2026, the poll showed.