Australia’s agricultural minister Senator Joe Ludwig, is to lead a delegation to the Middle East. The delegation will meet next week with governments and importers to determine a new regulatory framework that seeks to improve welfare for livestock exported from Australia, to meet international standards. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar make up significant markets for livestock exports for Australia and new supply chain assurance frameworks are to apply to a number of these markets from... ...Read more »

The Western Australian grains industry has made a significant breakthrough in its bid to export wheat to Saudi Arabia.Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman said Saudi Arabia’s sole wheat importer had changed its tender specifications to allow Australian wheat to be imported into the country. This news follows the Minister’s visit to Saudi Arabia last year and a reciprocal visit in March to WA by the importer, Grains Silos and Flour Mills Organisation(GSFMO), to tour the State’s... ...Read more »

A high-level Saudi Arabian delegation is this week touring Western Australia to investigate significantly boosting wheat exports to the kingdom.The visit is in response to Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman’s invitation to the kingdom’s sole wheat importer, the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organisation.Mr Redman, who visited Saudi Arabia last year as part of a trade mission, said there was considerable potential for WA to become a major wheat supplier to the kingdom.”Saudi... ...Read more »

Fonterra last week announced that it has reached a final agreement to purchase the remaining 51% stake in Saudi New Zealand Milk products, a joint-venture dairy manufacturing facility with SADAFCO in Saudi Arabia. The acquisition, worth around NZD45 million, is subject to regulatory approvals in Saudi Arabia. Saudi New Zealand Milk Products (SNZMP) currently packs and processes over 30,000 metric tonnes of New Zealand milk a year for Fonterra and a small number of co-packing customers. The deal will... ...Read more »