Saudi Gazette Promoting bilateral trade between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is one of the foremost responsibility, among others of the Pakistan Consulate, said Pakistan Consul General M. Shehryar Akbar Khan during the inauguration of the Pakistan Pavilion in the 3rd edition of the Foodex Saudi Exhibition 2015. The consul general and Saudi businessman Sheikh Hassan Al Fadha jointly inaugurated the pavilion. Fourteen leading Pakistani companies including Al-Asad Rice Mills, N.Y. Company, Hilal Foods (Private) Ltd, KAS Exporters & Importers, MM Commodities, Staple Foods (Private) Ltd, Ismail Industries Ltd, Sesamex, Multi Food Industries, Chase International, United King Foods (Private) Ltd, Citropak Ltd, The Organic Meat Company and Zaiqa Food Industries are participating through Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). Asif Hussain Memon, deputy consul general and acting consul (press), said the participating companies/exhibitors are among the top exporters from Pakistan dealing in fresh and processed products comprising meat, fish fruit and vegetables, spices and confectionaries. Speaking to Saudi Gazette at pavilion, Abdul Wahab Soomro, commercial consul, said Saudi Arabia is the region's largest food importer, with 74.1% of total production in the GCC, it imports more than $25 billion worth of food and beverage products each year to meet its consumption demands. He added that growing annually at 18.5 % due to expanding domestic market on account of burgeoning population and increasing annual pilgrimage, Saudi Arabia's food and drink imports are likely to reach around $70 billion per annum in the next four to five years, affecting all areas of the F&B sector. He said reliance on imports is also likely to increase as the Saudi government has mandated to reduce wheat production to conserve water. Soomro said these developments, offer huge opportunities to Pakistani companies to further penetrate the Saudi market and increase their market share. Pakistan is an agricultural country and more than 50 percent of its exports are agro and textile based it has enormous potential to increase its exports by tapping halal food markets of Saudi Arabia, which currently imports more than 80% of its total food and beverages requirements, Samroo added.
