Saudi Arabia reported a 3.2 percent increase in foreign food purchase in July before the start of Ramadan, said the Bloomberg online on Thursday. Food shipments to the Kingdom rose to 1.78 million tons — the highest since the start of the year — from 1.72 million tons in July 2010, it said quoting the Saudi Port Authority in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia relies on imports to feed its population of 27 million. Food consumption reaches its peak in the Kingdom during Ramadan, which began on Aug. 1. Food imports in the first seven months of 2011 fell to 9.54 million tons from 11.7 million tons a year earlier, the data showed, Bloomberg said. Saudi Arabia imported less barley this year as stockpiles of grain that were bought in 2010, when prices were low, were sold off. New letters of credit for grain imports declined this year compared with 2010, central bank data show. Citing Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency data, it said new letters of credit for grain importers were 270 million riyals ($72 million) in July compared 522 millions a year ago. Saudi Arabia's food imports are expected to rise in the second half as the country imports between 7 million and 7.5 million metric tons of barley in 2011, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf told reporters in Abu Dhabi. The country seeks long-term contracts for barley imports and is also looking at agriculture investment in Ukraine, Al-Assaf said. The government is also increasing imports of wheat this year.
