Saudi Experts Suggest Int’l Production Center Focusing on Coffee as a National Wealth

The first international “Saudi Coffee Sustainability Forum” in Jazan to discuss the value chain of Saudi coffee (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The first international “Saudi Coffee Sustainability Forum” in Jazan to discuss the value chain of Saudi coffee (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Experts Suggest Int’l Production Center Focusing on Coffee as a National Wealth

The first international “Saudi Coffee Sustainability Forum” in Jazan to discuss the value chain of Saudi coffee (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The first international “Saudi Coffee Sustainability Forum” in Jazan to discuss the value chain of Saudi coffee (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia needs to focus on the quality of production and agriculture of coffee beans and increase its research if it wants to compete in the global market, concluded an international gathering.

Under the patronage of Governor of Jazan Prince Mohammad bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Saudi Arabia hosted the first international forum to examine the benefit of coffee as national wealth, explore available investment opportunities, and discuss financing options and the role of this activity in the domestic product.

The Ministry of Culture organized the international “Saudi Coffee Sustainability Forum” in Jazan between Oct. 1 and 2 to discuss the value chain of Saudi coffee and relevant economic, social, and environmental aspects of sustainability.

It provides an overview of the local economy and presents practical papers and in-depth research that discuss aspects related to agriculture, production, and sustainable international practices for growing coffee beans.

- Government cooperation

Expert in agricultural economics, Mohammad al-Qunaibet, stressed the importance of the cooperation of authorities such as the Ministry of Culture and the Jazan Mountain Development Authority in scientific research to obtain high results that will lead to the sustainability and development of the sector.

According to Qunaibet, a scientific study revealed that the average costs are dedicated to preparing land and equipment, with about 79 percent, while the rest goes to variable expenses, including labor, irrigation water, and harvesting.

The expert pointed out that the world produces 10 million tons of coffee beans, three of which are made by Brazil, while Saudi Arabia produces 650 tons.

Saudi competition must be based on high quality and a “very luxurious” product to compete and market globally, said Qunaibet.

- Funding

The head of the development impact department at the Agricultural Development Fund, Bandar al-Rabiah, stated that the farm funding program amounts to $800,000 for farms in rural areas, pointing out that this year the funding recorded a leap, bringing the total value of approved financing to $3.2 million in Jazan alone.

Rabiah called for intensifying the efforts of the relevant authorities to increase cultural awareness of coffee to push funding to higher levels.

- Increased prices

For his part, Karl Weinhold, a researcher in rural development and the coffee economy, explained that coffee is currently experiencing price risks due to environmental changes and climatic conditions, pushing prices to rise globally.

Weinhold pointed out that many local farmers in the coffee industry around the world have been suffering from low income and poverty recently, explaining that it is possible to find diversified sequential paths.

He demanded that small coffee farmers must be aware that working collectively ensures the continuity of their businesses and industries.

- Economics of coffee

Furthermore, a professor of economics at the College of Business Administration at King Faisal University, Hassan Hajooj, stated that the coffee sector could become an economic tributary, provided that authorities take advantage of the geographical location of the Kingdom between the coffee-growing regions in Asia and Asia.

The Kingdom is one of the largest importers and consumers of coffee, ranking eighth in the world.

Hajooj added that Saudi consumption increased 100 percent in 2019, which means an increasing consumption trend in the Kingdom.

The Ministry of Commerce issued 7,300 commercial records, 2020 for cafes, which is an indicator of the contribution of coffee to economic activity.

The Kingdom’s annual spending on coffee consumption amounted to $346 million, said Hajooj, while the market value of restaurants and cafes is estimated at a compound annual rate of 8 percent.

The professor estimated that the linear forecast for the value of the Saudi coffee import bill would rise to $425 million until 2023, noting that the coffee sector accounted for about 0.86 percent of Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product in 2020 and that that figure was set to rise to 6.18 percent over the next five years.

- Global Trends

Hajooj added that the current global trends prove the increased demand for coffee consumption, especially with the change in the behavioral pattern of consumption in China and India.

- Global Center

The expert called for Saudi Arabia to adopt a global center in coffee production within the framework of the 10th National Development Plan aimed at making the Kingdom a global logistics hub and supporting Vision 2030.

He explained that the Kingdom could become a global center for the coffee industry through the location of Jazan, especially with the export ports between Asia and Africa.

Turkey, the UAE, and Malaysia are among the largest exporters to the Kingdom, and they are all non-producing countries but reproduce and export.

- Complex and Museum

Director of the Jazan Mountain Development Authority Dhafer al-Fahad explained that authorities continue to develop crops suitable for the climate of the mountainous governorates and coffee seedlings.

He added that 900,000 coffee seedlings would be distributed for research in the coming years.

The Authority established a statistical database for all coffee growers in Jazan that is updated periodically. It has also founded the Saudi Coffee Center in cooperation with Saudi Aramco.

In addition, it created an automated nursery to increase the production capacity of coffee seedlings to 800,000 annually.

Fahad announced the Culinary Arts Commission intended to establish the Saudi Coffee Museum in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and that the Kingdom had joined the World Coffee Organization.



US Job Growth Slowed Sharply in October amid Steady Unemployment Rate

A worker transports items during Cyber Monday at the Amazon fulfillment center in Robbinsville Township in New Jersey, US (Reuters/File)
A worker transports items during Cyber Monday at the Amazon fulfillment center in Robbinsville Township in New Jersey, US (Reuters/File)
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US Job Growth Slowed Sharply in October amid Steady Unemployment Rate

A worker transports items during Cyber Monday at the Amazon fulfillment center in Robbinsville Township in New Jersey, US (Reuters/File)
A worker transports items during Cyber Monday at the Amazon fulfillment center in Robbinsville Township in New Jersey, US (Reuters/File)

US job growth likely slowed sharply in October amid disruptions from hurricanes and strikes by aerospace factory workers, but a steady unemployment rate should offer assurance that the labor market remained on solid footing ahead of Tuesday's election.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed that nonfarm payrolls increased by 12,000 in October from the previous month, after employment in September shot up by 223,000 jobs.
A Reuters survey of economists showed that nonfarm payrolls likely increased by 113,000 jobs last month after surging 254,000 in September. Estimates ranged from no jobs added to 200,000 positions created. October's anticipated payrolls count would be the smallest in six months.
Hurricane Helene devastated the Southeast in late September and Hurricane Milton lashed Florida a week later.
The Labor Department reported last week that there were 41,400 new workers on strike, including 33,000 machinists at Boeing and 5,000 at Textron, an aircraft company, when employers were surveyed for October's employment report. The remaining 3,400 were workers at three hotel chains in California and Hawaii.
Workers who do not receive a paycheck during the survey period, which includes the 12th day of the month, are counted as unemployed in the survey of establishments from which the payrolls number is calculated.
The Labor Department's closely watched employment report is the last major economic data before Americans head to the polls to choose Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris or Republican former President Donald Trump as the country's next president.
Polls show the race is a toss-up. Americans have not warmed up to the economy's strong performance, which has outshined its global peers, rankled by high prices for food and rents. Low layoffs have been the hallmark of the labor market's strength.
The unemployment rate was seen unaffected by the distortions as the striking workers would be counted as employed in the household survey from which the rate is derived. Workers unable to work because of bad weather would be reported as employed, “with a job, but not at work” as per the BLS' classification.
Economists said a marginal rise in the unemployment rate would not be alarming and expected the Federal Reserve to sort through the noise and cut interest rates by 25 basis points next Thursday.
A rise in the unemployment rate to 4.3% in July from 3.8% in March was one of the catalysts for the US central bank's unusually large half-percentage-point interest rate cut in September, the first reduction in borrowing costs since 2020.
The Fed's policy rate is now set in the 4.75%-5.00% range, having been hiked by 525 basis points in 2022 and 2023.
Though employers have pulled back on hiring, they are retaining their workers, underpinning wage gains and consumer spending.
Average hourly earnings rose 0.4% last month after gaining 0.3% in September. They were likely lifted by hourly paid workers dropping out of the payrolls calculation.
Wages increased 4.0% in the 12 months through October after advancing 3.9% in September.