Abdul Rahman M. Baig
JEDDAH: India strengthened its growing food and agricultural trade partnership with Saudi Arabia through a significant participation at The Saudi Food Show 2026, held at the Jeddah Superdome from September 27 to 29.
The Consulate General of India, Jeddah, in association with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), facilitated a strong Indian presence at the prestigious food industry exhibition, bringing together Indian exporters and key players from the Saudi food and business sectors.
A total of 56 Indian exporters participated in the show, including 23 exhibitors under the APEDA-led India Pavilion, showcasing a diverse range of products such as rice, dehydrated food products, honey, makhana and other agricultural and processed food items.
The India Pavilion was jointly inaugurated by Eng. Khalil bin Salamah, Vice Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Industrial Affairs, Saudi Arabia; Consul General of India Shri Fahad Suri; Eng. Majed Alargoubi, CEO of MODON; Eng. Khalid Ahmed Alshehri, Vice President, Food Sector, Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, along with senior APEDA officials.
The dignitaries toured the pavilion and interacted with participating Indian exporters, gaining an insight into the breadth and quality of India’s agricultural and processed food offerings.
As part of the wider commercial engagement, the Consulate General of India, in collaboration with APEDA, organised a Buyer-Seller Meet on September 28, providing Indian exporters with an opportunity to engage directly with Saudi importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, foodservice companies and other key market players.
Rice remained a major focus of the business discussions, alongside opportunities for expanding exports across India’s wider agricultural and processed food basket.
Addressing the participants at the Buyer-Seller Meet, Consul General Shri Fahad Suri expressed appreciation to the Saudi business community for its longstanding confidence in Indian food products. He highlighted the considerable potential for expanding trade, distribution networks and business partnerships between companies from India and Saudi Arabia.
He also encouraged Indian exporters to understand local market requirements and focus on developing strong, sustainable relationships with Saudi business partners.
The robust participation at The Saudi Food Show and the focused business-to-business interactions underscored the growing interest in expanding cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia in the food and agricultural sectors.
The Consulate General of India and APEDA reaffirmed their commitment to facilitating business linkages, supporting greater market access for Indian exporters and promoting mutually beneficial commercial partnerships between the two countries.
Glimpses of India’s participation at The Saudi Food Show 2026 and the Buyer-Seller Meet were also shared through the Consulate General of India’s social media platforms.
