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Saudi Arabia is looking to increase coffee production to further support diversification efforts and boost its economy.
The kingdom, which is home to more than 400,000 Arabica coffee trees that produce more than 800 tonnes a year, aims to plant an additional 1.2 million coffee trees by 2026, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture seeks to make 15 Saudi provinces, located in the southwestern part of the country, as major producers of coffee, particularly the Arabica type. The initiative will help boost the economy in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 goals.
There are over 2,535 coffee farms in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. The sites include more than 500 so-called “model” coffee farms.
Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s top ten consumers of coffee.
As of 2022, the global coffee market was worth around $127 billion. The figure is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.72% from 2023 to 2030, according to a report posted on Coherent Market Insights.
(Writing by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Seban Scaria)