Nournews: Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to form a technical committee on agriculture on the sidelines of the COP16 conference (the summit on deforestation) underway in Riyadh.
Because Iran is the biggest producer of fruits in the Middle East, such a committee will help the export of Iranian fruits to Saudi Arabian markets again.
The Saudi Arabian market has hosted Iranian fruits in the past, which cannot be grown in Saudi Arabia due to its unique climatic conditions.
In the past years, concurrent with the deterioration of ties between the two countries, due to reasons including sanctions, political and economic ties, as well as the situation in the market, Iran lost its export opportunities in Saudi Arabia, which is going to be revived with the new deal.
Of course, until 2023, the volume of Iran’s export to Saudi Arabia was at the lowest level because of political tensions and the cutting of diplomatic ties. Iran’s exports to Saudi Arabia during the mentioned period included fruits, food products, and industrial items in varying volumes at different points in time.
Potential of Iran-Saudi Arabia collaboration in the agriculture field
Iran’s director-general of international affairs of Agricultural Jihad said that “Within the next two months, two technical committees will be formed with a focus on agriculture and deforestation as per a deal made between the ministers of agriculture of the two countries.”
Human Fathi said that “Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture met with the ministers of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iraq, and the environment and agriculture ministers of Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of COP16.” He added that the meeting of Iranian and Saudi Arabian officials marked a turning point in Tehran-Riyadh collaborations.
Fathi said that parts of Iran and Saudi Arabia have similar climatic conditions, which help in sharing and exchanging experience.
“Saudi Arabia has invested in the expansion of agricultural infrastructures and has been impactful concerning research and knowledge-based discussions. Our country is also considered a capable nation in the agriculture field, which all contribute to mutual cooperation.”
Fathi added that after the deterioration of ties between the two countries, fruit was still being exported to Saudi Arabia at a low level, but Iran’s Minister of Agriculture revived the ties, and according to deals, the formation of two technical committees was placed on the agenda, one of which will focus on agriculture and the other on deforestation.
He reiterated that citrus fruits, nuts, marine animals, foods, and saffron are among the high-demand items in the Saudi Arabian market. The Iranian official said that these products are not produced in Saudi Arabia. He hoped that with the new protocols, the export of Iranian products to Saudi Arabia would be restored.
“Since agricultural products are not affected by sanctions, the deal can be a desirable starting point for the restoration of trade ties, while the presence of Iranian Hajj pilgrims can be a good consumption market for Iranian products.”
What Fruits are exported to Saudi Arabia from Iran?
The Saudi Arabian market, as one of the largest markets in the Middle East, can be attractive for Iran. Iranian fruits, because of their special taste and high quality, are very popular in Saudi Arabian markets.
Some of the Iranian fruits that are exported to Saudi Arabia are as follows:
Pistachio: Iranian pistachios are among the high-quality and famous pistachios in the world, which are also favored in Saudi Arabia.
Date: Iran is one of the largest producers of dates in the world and produces different kinds of dates and exports them to Saudi Arabia.
Apple: Iranian apples are warmly received by Saudi Arabians because of their high quality and favorable taste.
Pomegranates: Iranian pomegranates are very popular in the Saudi Arabian market because of their unique taste and healing properties.
Peach and Apricot: These fruits are among other Iranian products that are being exported to Saudi Arabia.
Strawberry: Iranian strawberries are being exported fresh to Saudi Arabia.
Import of agricultural products to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia imported about $29.4 billion worth of agricultural products in 2022, which is equal to Iran’s oil income. Apples, citrus fruits, nuts, dried goods, food, and saffron are among the most demanded Iranian products by Saudi Arabians.
Agriculture in Saudi Arabia
Agriculture faces numerous challenges like water scarcity and deserts due to unique agricultural conditions. However, the Saudi Arabian administration has made attempts to become self-reliant in producing food products through modern technologies and agricultural methods.
The main challenges are a lack of water, climatic changes, and dependency on imported foods. Also, the high cost of producing foods and the supply of water affect the agriculture sector in Saudi Arabia.
In general, Saudi Arabia has one of the highest amounts of fruit imports. Therefore, Iran can see it as a profitable market given the high quality of its fruits.