Saudi annual import/export statistics on food issued

Saudi Arabia's self-sufficiency in vegetables in 2000 amounted to 84 percent, an increase from 1.8 million tons to 1.9 million tons, it was reported here today.

In a statistical statement on agriculture and water for the year 2000 including the percentage of self-sufficiency in cereals, fodder, vegetables, fruits, livestock and fishery, the Ministry of Agriculture and Water said fruit increased from 1.15 million tons to1.2 million tons, an increase of 5 per cent; dates from 712 thousand tons to 735 thousand tons; milk from 937 thousand tons to 1039 thousand tons, an increase of more than 11 per cent; eggs 129 thousand tons and fish 59 thousand tons.

The statement, issued by the Minister of Agriculture and Water Dr Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz bin Muammar, drew the attention to the positive impact of these increases on local agricultural production which, the Minister said, contributed in the increase of the gross domestic product (GDP) of the agricultural sector from 34.4 billion Saudi riyals in 1999 to 34.6 billion Saudi riyals in 2000.

This brought to 10.3 percent the contribution of the agricultural sector to the non-oil GDP, the Minister said.

The statistics said the Kingdom has exported 956 thousand tons of food stuff worth about 1.7 billion Saudi riyals in 2000 compared to 868 thousand tons worth 1768 million Saudi riyals in the preceding year.

The Kingdom's food imports in 2000 amounted to 12 billion Saudi riyals worth of 25 million tons compared to 24.2 million tons worth 10.5 billion Saudi riyals, the report concluded.

Source: SPA

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