RIYADH: Food security can only be achieved through a combination of local production and building a strategic reserve from imports, as is the case with wheat stored in silos, said Dr. Fahd Balghunaim, Minister of Agriculture, in an interview with Okaz/Saudi Gazette. He said Saudi agricultural investments abroad have to complement investments in the domestic sector. He said food security is fundamental for the country's security and stability. The Kingdom's government has taken all the necessary measures to increase local production and commercial policies to meet the Kingdom's food requirements. These polices are meant to help importers build an emergency reserve for a period of at least six months. Balghunaim said the ministry has signed a contract with an international organization of experts to conduct a study on the strategic storage of essential foodstuffs. This would protect the Kingdom from any shortages and price fluctuations on international markets. He said his ministry was responsible for the local production and monitoring of imported products while the Ministry of Commerce is responsible for supplies in the country and monitoring of the markets in terms of prices and quality. Apart from this, there is currently coordination between his ministry and those of commerce and finance on the “permanent ministerial committee for supply”. The committee monitors current supply and future needs for consumer products. He said King Abdullah has ensured investments in the production of agricultural products abroad. The country's limited water supply means that local production cannot be increased substantially to meet demand. He urged Saudis to invest in strategic crops such as wheat, rice and fodder. He said price fluctuations of agricultural products are governed by supply and demand and climatic conditions. Fodder prices, for example, have increased by 100 percent resulting in an increase in the prices of meat and chicken in the Kingdom, he added.
