Saudi orders 735,000 tonnes of wheat

Saudi Arabia has arranged for the importing of 735,000 tonnes of durum wheat from European, North and South American and Australian sources.

Saudi Press Agency confirmed the awarding of the first batch of imported wheat for the year by the Saudi Grains Organisation.

The publication cited organisation governor Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Faris as saying the batch would cover local needs and maintain strategic reserves.

It is expected to arrive in the kingdom from May to July this year onboard 12 ships.

Eight ships holding 480,000 tonnes will arrive in Jeddah with the remaining four and 255,000 tonnes to arrive via Damman.

The kingdom is often described as the largest per capita consumer of bread and regularly places orders for hundreds of tonnes of wheat.

Bread prices in the kingdom have been fixed for decades and the Ministry of Agriculture has said subsidies will not be lifted under the current wave of austerity measures.

Read: Saudi to maintain bread subsidies

Saudi Arabia imported 3 million tonnes of wheat last year to meet demand, according to some reports, including 315,000 tonnes of hard wheat in June.

Read: Saudi Arabia buys 315,000 tonnes of hard wheat