Saudi Arabia to import more wheat

In its semi-annual report on Oct. 21, the FAS said wheat production in Saudi Arabia is projected to reach 1.5 million tonnes, up from 1.2 million tonnes in 2023-24 and a sharp increase from the estimated 625,000 tonnes in 2022-23. Domestic wheat consumption was estimated at 4.512 million tonnes in 2023-24 and is projected to grow 4% annually. Russia was the dominant wheat supplier to Saudi Arabia in 2023-24 with a 49% market share, followed by EU-27 at 41% and Brazil at 10%. Consumption of corn, primarily used for animal feed, is estimated at 4.54 million tonnes in 2023-24 with a 4% increase to 4.74 million tonnes in 2024-25. Corn accounts for about 60% of poultry feed formulations and is a key feed grain for the domestic dairy industry. “Corn consumption is expected to continue to increase significantly over the next several years as Saudi Arabia strives to meet self-sufficiency in domestically produced chicken meat,” the FAS said. “Currently, the country is 80% self-sufficient ...