Infrastructure Omani shipbuilding facility to serve regional markets A new shipbuilding dry dock in the remote but strategic Omani town of Musandam will serve regional markets and give the Gulf state’s farmers and fishermen a new lease of life. Musandam Global Investment Company (MGIC), a Turkish and Omani joint venture, will build the shipbuilding and marine repair facilities and the project is expected […] June 10, 2025
Agriculture Saudi Arabia brings in new rules for livestock sales Saudi Arabia is clamping down on longstanding profiteering in its livestock markets with the enforcement of a landmark decision later this month mandating sale by weight rather than size. Mohammed Al-Abdullatif, assistant undersecretary for agriculture and support services, said in remarks on the ministry’s website that the measures, due to take effect on June 27, […] June 9, 2025
Agriculture PIF-backed Olam Agri raises nearly $2bn Singapore-based agribusiness Olam Agri Holdings, partially owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), has secured $1.85 billion in financing to support its business goals. The dual-tranche conventional and Islamic facility was raised by Olam Global Agri and Olam Global Agri Treasury Pte, two subsidiaries of Olam Agri — which sources, processes, trades and distributes […] June 3, 2025
Analysis Agriculture African and local sheep on the menu as livestock trade shifts As Eid al Adha approaches, consumers in Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region can expect imports of animals and meat of varying provenance from their traditional suppliers, analysts say. African exporters and Gulf self-sufficiency projects are stepping in to fill gaps in the Middle East’s livestock supply as Australian and other providers step back. […] May 29, 2025
Agriculture Turkey may need foreign grain as drought hits farmers Turkey could be forced to increase international grain purchases this year as the domestic wheat harvest is forecast to fall short, with drought cutting yields across the country. Turkey’s wheat crop for this year is estimated at 19 million tonnes, at least 2 million short of last season’s harvest, despite an increase in land under […] May 23, 2025
Trade Saudi Arabia and China sign deals worth $3.7bn to boost agriculture Saudi Arabia and China have signed 57 agreements worth SAR14 billion ($3.7 billion) to strengthen their trade relations, focusing mainly on the agriculture sector. The two nations signed 31 agreements in the field of greenhouses, livestock, poultry and fisheries during the Saudi-Chinese Business Forum, the ministry of environment, water and agriculture said in a post […] May 14, 2025
Agriculture Turkey’s red meat output tumbles as costs keep climbing Rising costs and falling returns have contributed to a drop in red meat production in Turkey, threatening the government’s plan to halt imports by 2028. Red meat production fell by almost 12 percent in 2024, according to the state statistics agency Turkstat. Just 2.1 million tonnes were processed last year, down on the 2.38 million […] May 7, 2025
Opinion Agriculture The Gulf must rethink food security in the wake of Trump’s tariffs The growing US-China trade war may have significant repercussions for the Middle East April 18, 2025
Agriculture Luxury food producer Bateel seeks to triple in size by 2029 Bateel International, the Dubai-headquartered luxury food group that owns 40 international boutiques and 30 cafés, plans to double the number of organic date palm trees it cultivates in Saudi Arabia and to build a new factory in the kingdom to meet growing global demand. The company, which was founded by the Saudi Al Sudairy family […] April 17, 2025
Agriculture Frost and snow deal blow to Turkey’s biggest export crops Turkey’s agriculture sector is reeling after much of the country was struck by hard frosts last week, damaging vital crops such as hazelnuts and apricots and jeopardising export income. Temperatures plunged between April 10 and 12, with lows of -15C in some regions. More than a third of Turkey’s 81 provinces had frosts and snowfall. […] April 14, 2025
Agriculture Farmers at risk from North Africa locust swarm A locust outbreak in North Africa risks endangering the livelihoods of already hard-pressed farmers in the region. In recent weeks, the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a UN agency, has issued a succession of warnings over a growing locust threat spreading from North Africa and across central Africa. In Africa’s north, adult groups of […] April 14, 2025
Food & Drink Turkish fish processors adapt as taste for sushi grows Turkish seafood processors are expanding their product range to cash in on new tastes, eating habits and markets, adding the Japanese delicacy sushi to their offerings. Not so long ago sushi was a rarity in Turkey. It featured on the menus of a few Japanese restaurants in tourist areas catering to foreign visitors rather than […] April 11, 2025
Banking and Finance PIF unit backs Brazilian beef exporter’s capital top-up Salic International Investment Company, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and Brazil’s VDQ Holdings have committed to a rights issue by Minerva, a beef exporter seeking to raise new capital. As part of the deal, the two companies, which own stakes in Minerva, have guaranteed a minimum 1 billion reais ($169 million) to […] April 8, 2025
Opinion Agriculture AI could advance farming, but don’t forget the humans Generative and analytical AI promise efficiency, yet costs remain a hurdle March 31, 2025
Agriculture ‘Unprecedented’ cold weather hammers Turkey’s citrus crops Sharp frosts in important agricultural districts in Turkey’s south have wrought havoc on citrus production, with some regions reporting losses of up to 80 percent. Long-term damage to plantations is adding to the problems of an industry already struggling with climate change. Temperatures fell well below zero over a series of nights in the normally […] March 25, 2025
Agriculture Relief for Moroccan agriculture after heavy rainfall Morocco has reported so much rainfall this year that it is filling dams across the country to levels not seen in at least three years. That augurs well for the agricultural sector which accounts for about one-sixth of the economy and is a component of exports and therefore foreign exchange. The economy declined last year […] March 20, 2025
Agriculture GCC companies vie for stake in Brazilian grain trader Brazilian grain trader Agribrasil has held talks with suitors interested in buying a stake in the company, according to two sources familiar with the matter speaking on condition of anonymity because the discussions are private, and GCC companies are reported in the mix. Two sources named Solaris Commodities, an independent commodity trader headquartered in Dubai, […] March 10, 2025
Agriculture Turkey meets US egg demand with increased exports Turkish producers are redirecting egg exports to the US in response to an outbreak of avian flu which is crippling the US poultry sector. The increased US sales could mean Gulf countries will shell out more for their breakfast staple. The Turkish government has given egg producers approval to increase US sales, with the packaged […] February 26, 2025
Agriculture PIF-owned Salic pays $1.8bn to up stake in Olam Agri Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (Salic) will acquire a 45 percent stake in Olam Agri Holdings for $1.8 billion, the Singapore-based company said in a statement. The transaction values Olam Agri at $4 billion, higher than the $3.5bn put on the company in November last year when Salic, a Public Investment Fund (PIF) subsidiary, […] February 24, 2025
Agriculture UAE’s Aqua Bridge to build aquaculture farm in India A UAE aquaculture company linked to the ruling Al-Maktoum family of Dubai has agreed to develop an aquaculture farm and research centre in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh at an initial cost of $461 million. Aqua Bridge Group, whose chairman is Sheikh Ahmed bin Mana bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum, said the partnership project in the […] February 21, 2025
Industry Cheap sugar from India and Brazil forces cuts on Gulf refiners Cheap sugar from India and Brazil flooding the global market has forced Gulf refiners to cut production. Managers at Al Khaleej Sugar in Dubai told local media at a conference that the company was operating at 70 percent capacity as regional sugar refineries struggle with overcapacity. The UAE is among the top consumers of sugar, […] February 18, 2025
Agriculture Cut flowers are a growth industry for Turkey February is the busiest month for Turkey’s cut flower exporters, as Valentine’s Day on the 14th of the month results in 70 million or more blooms being shipped to markets across the continent. Revenue of between $8 million and $10 million is expected, and with International Women’s Day following close behind on March 8, increased […] February 14, 2025
