On 22 January 2009, the Saudi government announced a decision to decrease import subsidies on barley, feed corn and other animal feed ingredients in response to declining world grain and feed prices, according to the latest FAS GAIN Report. According to the new decree, the import subsidy on barley, the leading feed grain in Saudi Arabia, was reduced from $200 to $80 per metric ton.

Last year, Saudi Arabia imported 8.2 million metric tons of barley, more than 50 per cent of world available feed barley exports. The recent decree added Rhodes grass and Sudan grass to the subsidy list.

The subsidy decree on 22 January was the third measure that the Saudi government has taken in the past four months. In November 2008, the government reduced import subsidies on feed grains and feed ingredients by up to 60 per cent.

Further Reading

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You can view the full report by clicking here.