Riyadh: The 2024 Food Security Statistics publication issued by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) revealed an increase in self-sufficiency ratios for several food products compared to 2023.
According to Saudi Press Agency, for animal products, the self-sufficiency rate reached 149% for shrimp, 131% for dairy products, and 103% for table eggs. Vegetables also showed high self-sufficiency, with eggplant at 105%, okra at 102%, cucumbers at 101%, and zucchini at 100%. Among fruits, dates recorded the highest self-sufficiency rate at 121%, followed by figs at 99%.
Notable increases in self-sufficiency rates from 2023 to 2024 for certain food products included onions, which rose by 41.2%, tomatoes by 9.2%, fish by 8.2%, and poultry by 1.4%.
In 2024, the per capita share of total available for consumption of rice was the highest among plant products in the Kingdom, reaching 52.1 kg per year, followed by dates at 35.8 kg per year. For vegetables, the annual per capita share from the total available was 20.50 kg for onions and 19.6 kg for tomatoes. As for animal products, annual per capita consumption reached 70.3 liters of milk, 46.9 kg of poultry, and 235 eggs.
The Food Security Statistics publication is based on the results of field surveys conducted by GASTAT, as well as register-based data from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, the General Food Security Authority, and the Agricultural Development Fund.