By Syed Mussarat Khalil
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH — Khan Hasham Bin Saddique, the Ambassador of Pakistan to Saudi Arabia, while underscoring the importance of economic relations, has expressed the earnest hope that volume of bilateral trade between the Pakistan and Saudi Arabia would enhance in the coming days to further cement the ties between the two strategic partners. He said the Embassy of Pakistan is ready to extend full support and cooperation to the Pakistani exporters community to facilitate them entering and capturing their due share in Saudi import market. He urged the Pakistani industrialists to seize the new opportunities arising from implementation of Saudi Vision 2030 so as to boost and strengthen the economy of Pakistan.
Arshad Munir Consular (Press) at consulate general Pakistan Jeddah said in a press statement that the ambassador expressed these views while addressing the session of B2B (business-to-business) meetings of the delegation of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) with the representatives of rice importing companies of Saudi Arabia at the Embassy of Pakistan, Riyadh.
Munir said the delegation was on a business tour to the Kingdom last May 11-19 with a view to making efforts for regaining the lost share of Pakistani rice in the Saudi market.
The delegation comprised representatives of 12 rice exporting companies of Pakistan, the President of Pak-Saudi Joint Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Secretaries General of REAP and the Chamber, he added.
He added that during the visit in Dammam and Riyadh, the delegation held B2B meetings with the largest rice importing and trading companies of KSA arranged by the Embassy of Pakistan.
They held detailed discussion with their Saudi counterparts and introduced their products portfolio. The Saudi buyers appreciated the quality and aroma of Pakistani rice and showed keen interest in establishing long-term business relations with Pakistani rice exporters.
The delegation visited the largest hypermarkets superstores of the Central and Eastern Provinces and held meetings with their top management to discuss the prospects of increasing the share of Pakistani rice brands in modern trade.
Chambers of Commerce & Industry of the two provinces also welcomed the Pakistani delegation to their ‘second home’ i.e. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and expressed their utmost desire for exchange of business delegations between the two brother Islamic countries on a more-frequent basis.
The REAP delegation expressed gratitude to the Embassy of Pakistan, Riyadh and Pak-Saudi Joint Chamber of Commerce & Industry for facilitating their business delegation and expressed their hope that this useful and productive visit will go a long way towards increasing the Pak-Saudi bilateral trade.
