New Projects Aim to Achieve Food Security in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s Tanmiah Food Co. announced a plan to invest SAR 4.5 billion ($1.2 billion) by 2030 to cover 80% of poultry needs locally by 2025. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia’s Tanmiah Food Co. announced a plan to invest SAR 4.5 billion ($1.2 billion) by 2030 to cover 80% of poultry needs locally by 2025. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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New Projects Aim to Achieve Food Security in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s Tanmiah Food Co. announced a plan to invest SAR 4.5 billion ($1.2 billion) by 2030 to cover 80% of poultry needs locally by 2025. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia’s Tanmiah Food Co. announced a plan to invest SAR 4.5 billion ($1.2 billion) by 2030 to cover 80% of poultry needs locally by 2025. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia’s Tanmiah Food Co. announced on Thursday a plan to invest SAR 4.5 billion ($1.2 billion) by 2030 to cover 80% of poultry needs locally by 2025 and achieve food security and sustainability in the Kingdom.

During a ceremony held in Riyadh, Saudi Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli oversaw the launch of new projects aimed at achieving self-sufficiency.

Tanmiah Food Co. signed four agreements with the Agricultural Development Fund (ADF), Saudi Investment Recycling Co. (SIRC), and the National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification, in addition to a strategic partnership for food development with the EU's largest poultry producer MHP.

These agreements aim to cover the Kingdom's needs and achieve self-sufficiency in poultry production, in addition to increasing green areas and reducing pollution.

Moreover, the agreements contribute to strengthening the role of the private sector as a key partner in achieving the goals of Saudi Arabia’s national transformation plan, Vision 2030.

Tanmiah also announced the launch of a community partnership initiative with small investors in the poultry industry to produce 1.2 million chickens per day, as well as the adoption of a new healthy production line called “Tanmiah Life”, for healthy poultry products supported with Omega 3.

Tanmiah is one of the national companies operating in the sector of fresh and frozen poultry, processed meat products and animal feed.

Besides being a public company listed on the Saudi Tadawul, Tanmiah is the leading provider of poultry and other meat products in the Middle East and North Africa region. It has been able to obtain the approved global standard for food safety from the British Retail Consortium.



Positive Outlook for Saudi Stock Market Next Week

A trader monitors the screen at the Saudi Exchange in Riyadh. (AFP)
A trader monitors the screen at the Saudi Exchange in Riyadh. (AFP)
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Positive Outlook for Saudi Stock Market Next Week

A trader monitors the screen at the Saudi Exchange in Riyadh. (AFP)
A trader monitors the screen at the Saudi Exchange in Riyadh. (AFP)

Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) ended the second week of March with a slight decline for the third consecutive week, closing down 0.73% at 11,725.88 points, compared to the previous week's close of 11,811.11 points.

In an analysis of the market performance during the week ending March 13, Dr. Suleiman Al-Humaid Al-Khalidi, a financial market analyst, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the market experienced a sharp decline not seen in years, coinciding with a drop in global markets, particularly in the US, where $2 trillion in value was wiped out in a single day.

This accounted for roughly 60% of the total market value of the Saudi stock market.

Al-Khalidi noted that the key player in the Saudi market is the banking sector, especially Al-Rajhi Bank's shares, which showed resilience and did not follow the downward trend. This was attributed to the strong profits reported by the banking sector in 2024.

The primary factors contributing to the market’s decline include global economic pressures, particularly US tariffs on most global economies, ongoing global uncertainty, and the Federal Reserve's tight monetary policies, he explained.

These factors have significantly impacted liquidity flows into financial markets. Additionally, fluctuations in global oil prices, despite recent stability, have also played a role.

This downturn has been accompanied by caution among sovereign wealth funds, investment institutions, and some portfolios in injecting new liquidity or altering their positions until there is more clarity in the financial markets, he went on to say.

Moreover, Al-Khalidi said that the Saudi stock market has not accurately reflected the true strength and size of the Saudi economy, which has grown to SAR 4 trillion, up from SAR 600 billion in 2016, before the launch of Vision 2030.

Additionally, the country’s GDP has reached approximately $1.1 trillion.

Looking ahead to the market's performance in the coming week, he noted that there are strong support levels at 11,550 points, followed by 11,450 points.

These levels could help shift the market toward an upward trajectory and better reflect the robust growth of the Saudi economy.

Al-Khalidi emphasized that the banking and energy sectors could play a leading role in driving the market higher, pushing the index beyond this week’s closing levels.

He also pointed out that some stocks are hitting new lows, presenting significant investment opportunities for those seeking safe havens with steady returns in the Saudi market.