Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Agricultural Partnership: A New Chapter in Food Security and Trade
By Sheikh Abdul Razaq
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have taken a significant step towards strengthening cooperation in agriculture, food security and agricultural trade, with the two brotherly countries holding successful talks aimed at expanding bilateral collaboration and creating new opportunities for investment and exports.
The development came during a high-level visit by a Saudi delegation led by Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman A. Al-Fadley, which visited Islamabad from August 26 to 28. The delegation included senior officials from the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, the General Food Security Authority and other relevant institutions. The visit reflected the growing importance both countries attach to agricultural cooperation as part of their broader economic partnership.
According to a joint statement issued following the visit, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening agricultural and food security cooperation and agreed to work towards increasing Pakistan’s exports to Saudi Arabia to $3 billion. Both sides expressed their determination to make concerted efforts to achieve this ambitious target over the next two years.
The Saudi delegation also called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where discussions focused on potential areas of cooperation and ways to further expand economic engagement between the two countries. The Pakistani side was led by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain. During the visit, the Saudi delegation was briefed on the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Agriculture and Food Strategic Plan, which is aimed at creating a more structured and sustainable framework for bilateral cooperation.
The delegation visited several important institutions and platforms, including the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), Fauji Foundation, the Pak-Saudi Agri-Business Forum and the National Agricultural Research Centre. These engagements provided an opportunity to explore investment prospects, agricultural technologies, food supply chains, research cooperation and private-sector partnerships.
The latest initiative carries particular significance because agriculture remains one of Pakistan’s most important economic sectors and has considerable potential to contribute to the country’s export growth. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, is seeking reliable and diversified sources of food supplies as it continues to strengthen its food security strategy.
Rice is already an important component of Pakistan’s agricultural exports to the Kingdom. The joint statement noted that Pakistan supplied approximately 169,000 tonnes of rice to the Saudi import market in 2025, with exports valued at around $163 million. The Saudi side expressed interest in further increasing bilateral rice trade in the coming years, creating an opportunity for Pakistan to expand both the volume and value of its rice exports.
Beyond rice, the discussions identified several other promising areas. The Saudi delegation expressed interest in gradually doubling imports of red meat from Pakistan. This could open a major new avenue for Pakistan’s livestock sector, provided that production capacity, quality standards, certification and supply-chain systems are further strengthened to meet the requirements of the Saudi market.
Fruit and fruit concentrates were also highlighted as areas with significant potential. Pakistan possesses a diverse range of agricultural products, including mangoes, citrus and other fruits, but increasing its share in high-value international markets requires greater emphasis on processing, packaging, cold-chain infrastructure and international quality standards. Expanded cooperation with Saudi Arabia could help Pakistani producers and exporters move further up the value chain.
Green fodder was identified by the Saudi delegation as another promising sector for establishing a long-term supply partnership. Given Saudi Arabia’s climatic and water constraints, Pakistan’s agricultural capacity could potentially contribute to a more diversified and dependable regional food supply chain.
The two sides also welcomed the successful completion of the first phase of an irrigation programme in Bhakkar, Punjab. The initiative demonstrates how cooperation in water management and irrigation can complement broader agricultural and food-security objectives. Efficient irrigation is particularly important for Pakistan, where improving water productivity is essential for increasing agricultural output and ensuring long-term food security.
The Saudi delegation also encouraged Pakistan to join the International Dates Council, a step that could facilitate greater cooperation in the dates sector and provide opportunities for Pakistan to benefit from international expertise, standards and market linkages.
The significance of the Pakistan-Saudi agricultural partnership extends beyond immediate trade figures. It represents an effort to build a long-term economic relationship based on food security, investment, technology, agricultural research and private-sector participation. The historic and fraternal ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia provide a strong foundation for such cooperation, while the two countries’ complementary economic needs create substantial room for further engagement.
For Pakistan, achieving the $3 billion export target within two years will require coordinated efforts across government agencies, exporters, farmers, livestock producers and investors. Improving product quality, certification, logistics, processing and market access will be critical to turning the identified opportunities into sustainable export growth.
The recent talks therefore mark not merely another round of bilateral discussions, but a potentially important turning point in Pakistan-Saudi economic relations. If the commitments made during the visit are translated into concrete projects and commercial partnerships, agriculture could emerge as one of the strongest pillars of the two countries’ expanding economic cooperation, while contributing simultaneously to Pakistan’s export ambitions and Saudi Arabia’s long-term food security objectives.