Saudi Arabia is eyeing investments in Pakistan's rice sector through corporate farming to secure a steady, long-term rice supply via structured bilateral deals.
The topic surfaced during Wednesday's meeting between Pakistan's Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Saudi Arabia's Assistant Minister of Investment, Ibrahim Al-Mubarak. They advanced ties in trade, investment, and regional market ventures.
A post-meeting statement highlighted Saudi interest in corporate-scale rice farming. Pakistan already meets quality standards, and investments in mechanization, storage, and logistics could ensure reliable exports. Broader talks on agriculture and food security covered rice, fodder like alfalfa, meat, and other products. They also explored Saudi financing for export-linked projects in Pakistan, tied to guaranteed offtake agreements.
Corporate Farming as Key to Boosting Productivity
Discussions extended to corporate farming and mechanization to tackle issues like falling cotton yields and rising labor costs, restoring output and bolstering industries such as textiles and yarn.
Both nations aligned on an investment-led partnership to boost competitiveness, production, and value chains unlocking Pakistan's export potential amid rising regional demand.
A major focus was joint market access in Central Asia, Africa, and ASEAN, leveraging Pakistan's production strengths with Saudi capital, market reach, and connectivity.
Human resources took center stage too, targeting shortages in nurses, caregivers, technicians, and mid-level hospitality staff. Mr. Al-Mubarak offered Saudi expertise in vocational training, open to adapting models in Pakistan for overseas job pipelines.
Other opportunities included building materials like limestone, marble, and aggregates scarce in Saudi Arabia with plans for direct Pakistani-Saudi supplier matchmaking. They also eyed expansion in pharmaceuticals, sports goods, footwear, and light manufacturing via joint ventures and contract production for regional and global markets.
