Saudi Arabia Buys 525,000 Tonnes Hard, Soft Wheat

Saudi Arabia bought 410,000 tonnes of hard wheat (12.5 per cent protein minimum) and 115,000 tonnes of soft wheat (11 per cent protein minimum) for shipment between September and October, from Toepfer, the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organisation said on Monday.

The wheat is of optional origin from the European Union, Australia and North and South America, and the shipment will be sent to the Kingdom’s ports in Jeddah and Dammam in nine consignments, Waleed Elkhereiji, director general of GSFMO, said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia has become a major importer of both hard and soft wheat since abandoning plans for self-sufficiency in wheat in 2008 as farming in the desert used a lot of precious water.

The country aims steadily to reduce agriculture and plans to be completely reliant on imports by 2016 to save water.