June 15, 2008	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Sani 10, 1429

RIYADH, June 14: Saudi Arabia plans to grow strategic grains abroad to protect the country from crises in world food supply, a government official said on Saturday.

Abdullah al-Obaid, a deputy agriculture minister, said the government was in talks with officials in Sudan, Egypt, Ukraine, Pakistan and Turkey to allow Saudi companies to establish projects for wheat, barley, soya bean, rice and animal fodder.

“The government would like to pave the way for Saudi investors to go abroad to use their experience, know-how and money to invest in such countries in order to bring produce here,” he told Reuters.

“We have negotiations with these countries and we have received some offers welcoming Saudi investors but we want to be sure such investments are secure and governments will give logistical help to them.”

Traders said earlier this month that Bahrain wanted to invest in rice farmland in the Philippines in a move to boost food security.—Reuters