Saudi Arabia to set up grain storage company

Saudi Arabia has established the National Grain Supply Company (SABIL) to manage grain operations and strategic reserves in a bid to strengthen the country’s food supply chain. It is the first wholly owned Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC) local investment under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. SABIL, whose establishment was announced on April 15 at a ceremony at the ministry’s office, will operate 14 grain silo branches in various regions of the country, including four in ports – Jeddah Islamic Port, King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, Yanbu Commercial Port and Jazan Port – with a combined storage capacity of more than 2.7 million tonnes. SABIL continues the transformation of the General Organization for Grains into the General Authority for Food Safety, with operational responsibilities being transferred to SALIC, which is wholly owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. As a result, SALIC established SABIL, ...