MOSCOW, RUSSIA — Looking to strengthen its position as a supplier to the Saudi Arabian market, Russia recently sent a second shipment of wheat to the Gulf kingdom this month, Saudi Arabia’s state grain buyer, SAGO, told Reuters on May 14.
SAGO confirmed that the wheat shipment is expected to arrive in Saudi Arabia later this month. Earlier this month, Russia sent a shipment of 60,000 tonnes to Saudi Arabia.
SAGO told Reuters both cargoes were sent by a trading house under a tender with optional origin it won several months ago.
The world’s largest wheat exporter, Russia has long sought access to the Saudi Arabian market. A breakthrough came last August when Saudi Arabia relaxed import specifications in a sign of improving trade relations.
Saudi Arabia imports most of its wheat from the United States, South America, Australia and Europe. It is forecast to import 3.2 million tonnes of wheat in 2020-21.
