Rice : In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Kingdom’s consumption of rice: less than one million tons per annum:
Saudi Arabia’s consumption of rice is less than one million tons per annum (800000 tons) constituting about %50 of the world production of rice, whereas the Asian countries consume 90% of the global production of rice which amounts to 500 mil tons annually.

Comparative rates of consumption:

The average per capita consumption in Saudi Arabia ranges between 40 and 45 kg per annum compared to per capita consumption in Asia, which ranges between 200 to 300 kg per annum, whereas the European individual consumes 3 kgm and the American consumes in the range of 8 to 10 kg per annum.

Indian Basmati (Anbar) is the most consumed type of rice in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia as it amounts to 70% of the local consumption, followed by the Pakistani rice constituting %6, then the Thailand (%6) also, and other types such as the Egyptian and the Australian with percentages up to %1 or less.

Out of its total exports of rice, which amount to 530000 tons, India exports about 360000 tons to Saudi Arabia. Thus the Saudi market represents about 85% of the Indian rice trade. The following table shows the main countries, which export rice to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia based on 1997 statistics:

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