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
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
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
Analysis Leisure & Hospitality UAE hotels absorb rising costs at expense of profit Many UAE hoteliers are reluctant to raise prices to compensate for rising operational costs, even as intensifying global competition and geopolitical volatility tighten profit margins. According to data from CBRE Middle East, growth in UAE hotel revenue per available room (RevPAR) has slowed over the last two years, from 6 percent in 2023 to 3 […] May 5, 2025
Analysis Economy What a plunging dollar means to Gulf imports and inflation The dollar’s slump to multiyear lows against many major currencies risks raising import costs in the dollar-pegged Gulf economies, fuelling inflation and pressuring business profitability, analysts say. From mid-January, the dollar is down 11 percent against each of the euro (to its lowest in more than three years), the Japanese yen (its lowest since late 2023), […] April 24, 2025
Food & Drink PIF food unit builds Jeddah factory with Brazilian partner Halal Products Development Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and Brazilian food processor BRF have started constructing a processed-food factory in Jeddah. The factory is being developed by the joint venture BRF Arabia Holding Company at a cost of $160 million, BRF said in a statement. Established in 2023, the venture […] April 22, 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
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
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
Logistics Massive investment in cold storage needed in UAE The UAE is racing to meet a substantial shortfall in cold storage space that will be essential if the country’s food security goals are to be met, real estate analysts say. At least 125,000 square metres of additional space are needed to bring the country up to the required capacity, according to Harish Rajagopalan, director […] February 21, 2025
Markets IPO for Saudi poultry producer Entaj off to a flying start The initial public offering (IPO) of Saudi Arabian poultry producer Entaj is already oversubscribed, barely 24 hours after the book-building exercise began. Starting the exercise on Sunday and pricing the shares at between SAR46 and SAR50 each, the books were covered “within hours”, CEO Raja Alharbi told AGBI. The IPO could raise more than SAR450 […] February 10, 2025
Opinion Trade GCC should target tariff-free food deals with Trump US agriculture could be looking for new export markets February 4, 2025
Analysis Food & Drink Middle Eastern coffee market expected to hit $11bn The price of your half-caff, soya milk, extra hot with a pump of vanilla and a sprinkle of cinnamon is likely to go up this year, as the cost of coffee is set to increase by as much as one fifth. The Middle Eastern coffee market alone is projected to reach $11.5 billion in 2025, […] January 26, 2025
Agriculture Middle East’s biggest ‘livestock city’ set for Saudi province A SAR9 billion ($2.4 billion) plan to develop the largest “livestock city” in the Middle East has been announced by the Saudi Eastern Province city of Hafr Al Batin. The project, which is expected to provide 30 percent of Saudi Arabia’s demand for red meat, was announced at the Hafr Al Batin Investment Forum 2025 […] January 10, 2025
Opinion Agriculture Without Assad, Syria is ripe for a new crop of farming investment Relying solely on international markets far away from home is risky January 3, 2025
Banking and Finance EDB hails $305m in financing for agriculture businesses One dirham in 12 lent by Emirates Development Bank in the past three years has gone into financing for agriculture technology and food production businesses, the bank said on Thursday. EDB said the AED1.12 billion ($305 million) of loans represent 8 percent of the AED14.72 billion of financing it has provided since April 2021. It […] December 5, 2024
Agriculture Almarai to foray into food segments beyond dairy Almarai, the largest dairy producer in Saudi Arabia, will launch seafood and red meat facilities to help achieve the Vision 2030 goal of becoming food self-reliant. The company is building domestic production facilities for seafood and beef and lamb, which will become operational in two years, Bloomberg reported, citing CEO Abdullah Albader. In March, Almarai […] December 5, 2024
Agriculture UAE’s ADQ to explore building land-based fish farm ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company, has signed an agreement with a Finnish aquaculture technology company to explore the feasibility of developing a land-based fish farming facility. Finnforel will collaborate with ADQ on the fish farm that could have a capacity of producing three thousand tonnes per year. The farm will cultivate rainbow trout, […] December 2, 2024
Analysis Agriculture Down on the farm, Saudi Arabia has a $9.8bn hole to fill The Saudi government is stepping up efforts to attract investors to its agriculture sector after identifying a funding gap of SAR37 billion ($9.8 billion). The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture says there are investment opportunities in plant and animal production, as well as fisheries, processing, manufacture of agricultural products and infrastructure development. Saudi Arabia […] November 28, 2024
Food & Drink Food exports from UAE climb 20% in six months Food and beverage exports from the UAE rose by almost 20 percent during the first half of 2024, the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) has revealed. The organisation predicted that food exports would “surge” to $38.3 billion (AED141 billion) this year. The ADCCI gave no figure for last year, but according to the […] November 28, 2024
Food & Drink Americana to invest $100m in Saudi French fries factory A subsidiary of fast-food brand operator Americana will invest SAR375 million ($100 million) in a greenfield frozen French fries manufacturing plant in Riyadh. The new processing factory will be set up in Sudair Industrial and Business City as a collaboration between Agricultural Growth and Processing Company, an Americana unit, and Egypt-based potato processing company Farm […] November 27, 2024
