ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Punjab province is targeting more than $1.8 billion in food exports to Saudi Arabia, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday, seeking an increase in rice, fruit, vegetables and other farm shipments to the Kingdom.

The remarks came during CM Sharif’s meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Pakistan Dr. Rajeh Albugamy, which was focused on bilateral relations and expanding cooperation between the two brotherly nations.

Saudi Arabia is one of Pakistan’s key trading partners in the Gulf, with food and agricultural exports forming a major component of bilateral trade, while Punjab accounts for a significant share of Pakistan’s production of wheat, rice, citrus fruits, vegetables and livestock products.

During their meeting, the Punjab chief minister called Saudi Arabia the largest source of remittances to Pakistan that contributed around $9.8 billion annually, expressing gratitude to the Saudi leadership for their economic and financial support to Pakistan.

“Punjab can become a reliable supplier of Halal-certified food products to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” CM Sharif’s office quoted her as saying at the meeting.

“Discussions were held on leveraging Punjab’s resources and potential to increase exports of livestock, beef, poultry, fruits, and vegetables,” it added.

In Oct. last year, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan agreed to launch an economic cooperation framework to strengthen trade and investment ties during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh.

Both countries have enjoyed close relations for decades and have moved to broaden their cooperation in recent years. In 2024, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed 34 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth $2.8 billion across multiple sectors.

During the meeting, CM Sharif strongly condemned Houthi attacks on the Kingdom and expressed regret over the loss of human lives in these assaults.

“The people of Pakistan and Punjab stand shoulder to shoulder with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” she said. “Shared economic strength surely guarantees shared security.”