by PressSaudi Arabia boosts grain storage capacity
Saudi Arabia improves grain storage processes
Food security is a critical issue for Saudi Arabia. And the government is implementing various projects to address it. In this context, grain storage and the provision of the necessary conditions required special attention. A new facility was commissioned in May 2023. It increasing the total storage capacity by 40% compared to 2016 to 3.5 million tonnes.
The Ministry of the Environment noted other achievements. An important step in reducing dependence on food supplies was the reduction of barley imports by 50%. In 2016, the country bought 10 million tonnes of the crop from the world market. And at the beginning of 2023, the figure was around 4.8 million tonnes. This result was achieved thanks to changes in import conditions for the private sector.
The Ministry also noted the development of organic farming. Its volume has increased from 56,000 tonnes to 101,000 tonnes.
Saudi Arabia has a government initiative to reduce food waste and food losses. Its implementation aims to achieve a waste rate of 33.1%. There are already positive results. For example, local agricultural and livestock product supply has increased significantly.
Saudi Arabia agriculture
Earlier this year, the government approved an investment of around US$1 billion to develop agriculture. They will use the money to increase the number of greenhouses and expand the area under cultivation. According to the industry strategy, by 2025, production facilities should produce 430,000 tonnes more than in 2022. In other words, they must produce 1 million tonnes a year.
It is worth noting that last year production in the agro-industrial sector increased by 7.8% compared to the previous period. This has been facilitated by the introduction of innovative solutions to increase crop yields and optimise the use of water resources. To this end, the country operates a system of dams to collect moisture from heavy rains and floods. Saudi Arabia is also considered one of the most advanced countries in the adoption of seawater desalination technology. 27 such plants now has country.
The Food Security Plan was first announced in the autumn of 2022. The initial investment in the project amounted to US$10 billion. This would help to eliminate problems with product supply and expand domestic production. The strategy is being implemented in partnership with other countries in the region. According to Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom will work hard to address the effects of the global supply crisis that has affected many countries.