The global trade wars have everyone panicking, and no one more so than Mexico, which borders the world’s largest economy. The United States, the actor facilitating the aggressive tariff warfare, is also the country’s number one trading partner.
The situation has resulted in the nation playing smart by diversifying its trade portfolio. As part of this strategy, the Claudia Sheinbaum administration is looking to expand its trade ties with Saudi Arabia by exporting high-quality rice to the Kingdom.
As per the news daily Asharq Al-Awsat, Mexico has an export offer for three premium rice varieties that meet the Gulf nation’s highest international standards. Saudi Arabia, which imports limited quantities of Mexican rice, mainly for its culinary industry, has already consolidated its position as one of the world’s largest rice consumers, with per capita consumption averaging 45.77 kilogrammes annually, the highest among plant-based food products.
Around 70% of consumption consists of basmati rice, while total annual imports exceed 1.3 million tonnes.
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already received a request from the Mexican Embassy in Riyadh conveying the interest of the Mexican state of Nayarit in exporting premium rice to the Gulf nation’s market.
The embassy has also identified three rice varieties for export, like long grain “Super Extra Whole Grain Rice,” with a monthly supply of 120 tonnes; polished broad grain “Milagro Super Extra Rice” with a monthly capacity of 30 tonnes; and “Morelos” rice, a premium-grade variety.
Saudi Arabia, keeping in mind the strong demand for flavoured rice varieties within its territory and the broader Gulf region, encourages private-sector imports of Cambodian rice while maintaining a diverse bracket of supply sources, including India, Pakistan, the United States, and Egypt.
“Strong demand for flavoured rice varieties in Saudi Arabia and across the Gulf, combined with challenges such as rising shipping costs and climate-related disruptions, has occasionally led to price fluctuations. These factors have prompted the Kingdom to broaden its supplier base to ensure the availability of this commodity and maintain price stability. The government recently decided to increase Pakistani rice imports to account for 20% of total needs, reinforcing supply stability and food security,” reported Asharq Al-Awsat.
As per the latest forecasts, per capita rice consumption in Saudi Arabia could rise to around 50 kg annually in the coming years, up from the current 45.77 kg, underscoring the product’s central role in the Kingdom’s food industry.