RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli has laid the foundation stone for an agricultural produce processing and marketing facility in Riyadh, developed by Leen Alkhair Trading Co., to create an integrated system for processing, manufacturing and marketing fruits and vegetables.

With an annual production capacity of more than 500,000 tonnes, the facility aims to maximize the use of local agricultural produce and improve food supply chain efficiency.

The project covers a plot of  20,000 sq. meters, with a total operational area of 29,000 sq. meters across three floors. It also includes a separate smart warehouse with a capacity of 7,000 pallets. The project is 36 percent complete, with completion expected by Sept. 30, 2027.

The facility will offer a range of food products, including fresh, prepared and processed items, catering to individual consumers and the food service sector while expanding the use of local crops.

It will also diversify how agricultural produce is utilized, from marketing fresh goods to directing part of the harvest toward food processing, increasing the added value of local produce.