Browse Data and Analysis

Saudi regulations allow the importation of biotech plant products, but they are required to be labeled if they contain more than one percent genetically engineered (GE) plant ingredients.

In 2009, Serbia adopted the current “Law on Genetically Engineered Organisms (GEOs),” which strictly prohibits importing, producing, or commercial growing genetically engineered crops. After more than ten years, Serbia still has not implemented changes to this “Law on GEOs” that conforms to European Union (EU) regulations or the World Trade Organization (WTO) Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement.

Very high temperatures starting in May and low precipitation did not have a negative effect on wheat and barley production in Serbia, while corn yield will be reduced by at least 20 percent.

Saudi Arabia is a 20th largest importer of U.S. food and agricultural products in the world, with direct U.S. exports of $1.23 billion in 2020. Return to semi-normal living conditions are invigorating U.S. agricultural exports to the Kingdom as supported by the U.S. Customs data for January – August 2021 that show 16 percent increase compared to the same period in 2020.

Saudi Arabia’s barley imports for the first six months of MY2021/22 (July – Dec. 2021) is estimated at 2.8 million metric tons (MMT), a reduction of 30 percent compared to the same period last year.

As a result of millions of religious pilgrims, foreign workers, and a developing tourism industry Saudi Arabia has a large and resilient HRI sector.

In 2020, Post estimates poultry production in Saudi Arabia was 900,000 metric tons (MT) with that total jumping to 910,000 MT in 2021 based on official data released by the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) as well as discussions with major poultry producers.

On April 15, 2021, the Saudi government represented by the Saudi Grains Organization (SAGO) handed back the barley imports and distribution business to the private sector by selling 1.84 million metric tons (MMT) of barley through an open and competitive bidding process to six local grain traders.

New measures by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority will have serious repercussions on the Saudi import poultry market.

Post anticipates a significant increase in U.S. high-value food product exports to Saudi Arabia in 2021 due to expansion of the retail sector.

On April 15, 2021, the Saudi government fully implemented its November 2020 decree to privatize the barley import sector.

Agriculture and food production in Serbia is the most important export sector, accounting for over 10 percent of the country’s GDP and 20 percent of all exports.