Browse Data and Analysis

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) regulations allow the importation of biotech plant products, but they are required to be labeled if they contain more than one percent genetically engineered (GE) plant ingredients. As a result, many retail packed food importers do not import biotech foods due to concerns that biotech labeling could jeopardize their product image. However, Saudi Arabia imports large quantities of biotech U.S. corn, soybeans, and their products.

In marketing year (MY) 2022/23, FAS Santiago estimates that table grape production will decrease by 7.1 percent reaching 732,000 metric tons (MT) and exports will decrease by 7.1 percent, totaling 565,000 metric tons.

Saudi Arabia’s barley imports for the first six months of MY 2022/23 (July – Dec. 2022) are estimated at 2.6 million metric tons (MMT), an increase of six percent compared to the same period last year. Post’s current projection for total barley imports for MY 2022/23 is 4.5 MMT, which is a decrease of four percent compared to the USDA official estimate of 4.7 MMT. Unless the price of barley drastically decreases, Post anticipates demand will remain low throughout MY 2022/23.

Saudi Arabia was a 24th largest market ($1.34 million) for U.S. food and agricultural products last year. A return to pre-Covid living and working conditions are invigorating U.S. agricultural exports to the Kingdom in 2022. U.S. Customs data for January – August 2022 shows an 11 percent increase in U.S. agricultural exports to Saudi Arabia compared to the same period in 2021.

In marketing year (MY) 2022, rainfall during the winter was abundant favoring pasture production in the southern regions of Los Lagos and Los Rios. As a result, Chilean production of milk powders increased significantly in recent months, and are expected to remain high during the remainder of the marketing year.

U.S. exports of consumer-oriented food products to Saudi Arabia decreased four percent in 2021, compared to 2020, to approximately $535 million mainly due to shipping issues (e.g., fewer cargo ships, higher costs, etc.) throughout the year. In June 2022, the Saudi government lifted all COVID-19 restrictions allowing the food service sector to return to pre-pandemic operations while also fully reopening the country to foreign visitors.

In 2021, consumer food-services sales grew by 42.5 percent, reaching $3.5 billion. In mid-2021, pandemic restrictions began to relax, and restaurants reopened to the public. The Chilean Central Bank estimates a two percent GDP growth in 2022 and a one percent GDP decrease in 2023.

For marketing year (MY) 2022/23, Post estimates 165,000 metric tons (MT) of walnut production, a 7.8 percent increase from MY 2021/22 following an increase in area planted and higher yields. Walnut exports are projected at 162,500 MT in-shell basis, which represents a 7.6 percent increase over MY2021/22.

Chilean area planted with cherries is growing consistently and will reach 52,000 hectares in marketing year (MY) 2022/23. Post projects that, due to favorable climatic conditions and abundant rainfall, MY 2022/23 cherry yields will increase. For MY...

Raisin production in Chile relies almost exclusively on table grape production. For marketing year (MY) 2022/23, Post projects 61,850 metric tons (MT) of raisin production, a 1.5 percent decrease from MY 2021/22. Raisin exports will total 59,000 MT, a 1.7 percent decrease from MY 2021/22.

High cost and freight (CFR) world barley prices have drastically reduced the demand for barley in Saudi Arabia, and contributed to the increased demand for domestically processed animal feed. For MY2021/22, Post projects total Saudi barley imports at...

Over the past several years, Saudi Arabia published quite a few new regulations and standards, some of which were notified to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Unfortunately, many of these standards were notified and immediately implemented, missing the opportunity to engage with international stakeholders and making it difficult for U.S. exporters to adjust.