Browse Data and Analysis

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) regulations allow the importation of biotech plant products, but they are required to be labeled if they contain more than one percent genetically engineered (GE) plant ingredients.

Saudi Arabia was the 22nd largest market ($1.58 billion) for U.S. food and agricultural products in 2022, an increase of 18 percent compared to 2021.

The General Food Security Authority (GFSA), an agency of the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA), purchased approximately 1.2 million metric tons (MMT) of locally produced wheat in MY2022/23.

U.S. exports of consumer-oriented food products to Saudi Arabia increased 23 percent over the past year to a record $656 million due to expansions in online shopping platforms.

Over the past several years, Saudi Arabia published several new regulations and standards, some of which were notified to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The major export certificates required by Saudi Arabia’s regulatory and import control agencies are included in this Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) - Certificates Report.

U.S. exports of consumer-oriented food products to Saudi Arabia increased 23 percent over 2021 to a record $656 million mainly due to the continued expansion in online shopping platforms.

FAS/Nairobi forecasts Uganda’s marketing year (MY) 2023/24 coffee production will increase 4 percent to 6.85 million 60 kilogram bags due to good rainfall and the maturation of new high-yielding Robusta seedlings planted in 2019.

Saudi Arabia is the largest economy in the Arab world and home to a growing food manufacturing and processing sector. Total investments in the sector are projected to reach $70 billion in 2030, an increase of approximately 59% over total investments in 2016.

Recent available data indicates that Saudi Arabia imported approximately 2.7 million metric tons (MMT) of barley in the first six months of MY 2022/23 (July – December 2022), an increase of approximately 11% compared to the same period last year (2.46 MMT).