More than 300 national and international companies from 27 different countries are participating in the show, which is featuring a range of high-end products, technology and services.
After opening the exhibition at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center, Al-Fayyad and accompanying officials toured the show.
“This four-day event is an important networking platform for visitors and businessmen as well as for local and international companies operating in the agriculture and food sector in different parts of the globe,” he said. The deputy minister also gave an overview of the Kingdom’s agriculture sector.
Al-Fayyad said the exhibition would acquaint businessmen and investors with opportunities available in the Kingdom, especially in agriculture and food.
Referring to the growth of the agriculture sector, Al-Fayyad said that the Kingdom's gross domestic agricultural product reached SR44 billion in 2009, and with this the agriculture sector's contribution to the nonoil sector increased to 6.6 percent and to the gross domestic product 2.3 percent. According to a report distributed at the exhibition, the Kingdom's production of grains declined from 4.86 million tons in 1994 to 1.6 million tons in 2009, but its vegetable output rose considerably.
“With a population of roughly 28 million people, the Kingdom has immense food demands, which the government intends to meet by boosting spending on agriculture and agro-related sectors,” said Muhammad Al-Hussaini, RICEC's deputy general manager. “Saudi Agriculture 2010 offers insights into how to best maximize domestic prospects, while providing a gateway to other lucrative Gulf markets,” said Al-Hussaini.
He said that the Kingdom had gone far ahead in terms of local production of milk and milk-related products. Saudi Arabia accounts for 61 percent share of the $2.8 billion dairy market of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Al-Hussaini added. He pointed out that major participating countries include UK, US, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Italy, Kuwait, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, The Netherlands, Turkey, UAE and Sudan.
Al-Hussaini said that this trade show had come at a right time when the government took a decision to increase its expenditure on agriculture, water and infrastructure by 30 percent to SR46 billion this year. The event, which runs until Oct. 7, will help businessmen and decision makers share information and exchange views especially in the fields of destination, dairy farming, pesticides, packaging, cold storage solutions, water management systems, machinery and spare parts.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by senior Saudi officials, diplomats and a large number of businessmen.
