JEDDAH, 19 April 2005 — Trade between Saudi Arabia and Greece has reached $1.3 billion.
“About 90 percent of our bilateral trade comprises Greek oil imports from the Kingdom,” Pantelis A. Gassios, first secretary, economic and commercial affairs at the Consulate General of Greece told reporters during the opening of a Greek food festival at Jeddah InterContinental Hotel on Sunday night.
Greek Consul General Dr. Dimitrios Zavoritis inaugurated the five-day festival, which features Greek specialties and buffets in an innovated Greek décor and ambiance at the hotel’s Al-Ferdaus restaurant.
InterContinental Hotel General Manager Bander M. Harbi said the Greek festival was being hosted for the second year in a row, which showed the interest of local people in the rich variety of Greek cuisine.
Greek exports to the Kingdom in 2004 amounted to $64 million, as against $61 million in 2003. Some 15 percent of the exports constitute foodstuffs and food products.
“They have increased only by $3 million,” Gassios said, adding that there has been an appreciation in the value of euro that has affected exports.
Main Greek exports have been aluminum products, foodstuffs, electrical items, plastics, home appliances and components, marble, and steel and metal products. Cosmetic products, cottonseed paint, pharmaceuticals, ceramics and furniture also figure in the list of exports.
For some years, Greece exported petroleum products to the Kingdom. “In the past two years, however, such products don’t figure much in the export list,” he said.
A Greek company dealing in security equipment for homes, offices and commercial buildings is among the participants at the ongoing Saudi Building Interiors Exhibition & Symposium in the city. Its products include security doors and electronic equipment. Six hundred Greek expats reside in the Kingdom, 400 of them in and around Jeddah.
Harbi said the Greek festival was being hosted for the second year in a row, which showed the interest of local people in the rich variety of Greek cuisine.