US meat exporters eye recovery in Saudi market

The US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) reported that the Saudi Food and Drug Authority recently approved a new rule increasing the shelf life for chilled beef sold in Saudi Arabia by 50 days. (Shutterstock/File Photo)
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Updated 08 April 2021
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US meat exporters eye recovery in Saudi market

  • New rule in the Kingdom expands shelf life for meat to 120 days, should increase sales growth 

RIYADH: US meat manufacturers are hoping that Saudi Arabia’s change in the rules related to the shelf life of meat imports will result in increased sales growth in the Kingdom.

The US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) reported that the Saudi Food and Drug Authority recently approved a new rule increasing the shelf life for chilled beef sold in Saudi Arabia by 50 days. Previously the shelf life was 70 days, but the new limit of 120 days may help spur a recovery in sales growth for American producers.

“Saudi Arabia’s previous shelf-life protocol really limited US exporters’ ability to ocean-freight chilled beef to Saudi Arabia. By the time it made the entry, there were a limited number of days available to market that beef,” Travis Arp, the USMEF senior director of export services and access, said on US radio reports.

“Chilled beef was being air-freighted into Saudi Arabia at substantially higher prices. Saudi Arabia expanded their chilled beef shelf-life standard to 120 days, so now it makes ocean-freighting much more commercially viable.”

US beef exports to Saudi Arabia were showing steady growth until the trade was suspended in 2012 when a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, otherwise known as mad cow disease, was discovered in California. 

Arp said he was hopeful that the new shelf-life rule will be the catalyst for a recovery in US exports to the Kingdom.

In 2011, US beef exports to Saudi Arabia topped 6,600 metric tons valued at nearly SR120 million ($32 million). While in 2019, even before COVID-19 restrictions impacted Saudi Arabia’s food sector, exports had recovered to only 1,539 metric tons valued at $14.3 million, according to the USMEF.


Jordan exports rise 9.3% to highest level in over a decade 

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Jordan exports rise 9.3% to highest level in over a decade 

JEDDAH: Jordan’s industrial exports surged to their highest level in more than a decade during the first 11 months of 2025, rising 9.3 percent to 7.97 billion Jordanian dinars ($11.23 billion), according to official data. 

The growth highlights the sector’s expanding role in the national economy, driven by diversified production and strong demand across Arab and European markets, according to a report by the Jordan Chamber of Industry carried by Jordan News Agency, also known as Petra. 

The agency added that the rise, from 7.29 billion dinars a year earlier, underscores “the sector’s growing weight in the national economy and its resilience amid regional and global headwinds,” noting that the figures point to a broad-based expansion driven by stronger external demand and a more diversified production base. 

The growth comes as Jordan increasingly positions its industrial sector as a key driver of economic growth, job creation, and trade‑deficit reduction, in line with the nation’s Economic Modernization Vision, which seeks to establish the country as a regional hub for high‑value exports. 

The report showed that industrial exports made up nearly 92 percent of Jordan’s total exports, underscoring the sector’s key role in maintaining the trade balance and driving economic growth. 

“Despite ongoing geopolitical and macroeconomic pressures, the industry maintained positive momentum, reinforcing its position as a key pillar of the economy,” Petra reported. 

The industrial export growth was driven by a diverse range of products, including cement, fertilizers, phosphate, potash, food items, chemicals, and jewelry, highlighting the sector’s competitiveness in quality, reliability, and price. 

Eight major industrial sectors led the expansion, with construction-related industries surging 120 percent on strong demand from Syria. 

Engineering and electrical goods rose 15.8 percent, food and agricultural products 14 percent, mining 12.7 percent, and plastics and rubber 8.9 percent. 

Arab markets remained the largest destination, accounting for 42 percent of exports, led by Syria, where shipments increased by about 180 million dinars, followed by Saudi Arabia with a 112 million-dinar rise. Exports to Europe jumped 45 percent, particularly to Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany, signaling growing market diversification. 

“The Chamber said the results demonstrate the sustainability of Jordan’s industrial export capacity in terms of product quality, diversification, and price competitiveness,” the Petra report stated. 

It added that the sector has shown an ability to absorb growing demand in both Arab and European markets, supported by a clear strategy focused on opening new markets while consolidating positions in existing ones. 

The JCI stressed that sustaining this trajectory will require continued coordination between the public and private sectors to improve the industrial investment environment and strengthen export support mechanisms, ensuring long-term competitiveness and durable growth.