Saudi Arabia
Agricultural trade profile showing top imported and exported commodities. Data from FAO FAOSTAT (2018–2023).
About Saudi Arabia's Agricultural Trade
Saudi Arabia recorded cumulative agricultural exports of $12.5B and imports of $93.7B between 2018 and 2023, giving it a total agricultural trade footprint of $106.2B. The country runs a trade deficit of $81.2B over this period, making it a net agricultural importer. This positioning shapes how US tariff policy affects Saudi Arabia: net exporters are most sensitive to US import duty changes on their headline commodities, while net importers are more exposed to supply shocks and export restrictions from their sourcing partners.
The leading agricultural export from Saudi Arabia is Refined sugar, while the largest single import is Rice; milled. The tables below rank the top 10 exported and imported commodities by value for 2023, each linking to a dedicated commodity page that shows the global picture — which other countries trade the same product, and which US HTS chapter applies at the border. Use this view to identify concentration risk (too much reliance on one commodity) and to map which trade flows might be most affected by tariff shifts.
US import duties depend primarily on the product's HTS classification, not the country of origin, for most-favored-nation partners. Saudi Arabia-origin shipments may qualify for preferential (Special) rates under specific free trade agreements — consult the HTS chapter pages for each product to see exact duty rates and applicable FTAs. All data here comes from FAO FAOSTAT Trade: Crops and Livestock (TCL), reported in USD (converted from FAO 1000 USD units), covering the top 100 agricultural commodities among the top 50 trading nations.
Top Agricultural Exports (2023)
| # | Commodity | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Refined sugar | $513.0M |
| 2 | Uncooked pasta; not stuffed or otherwise prepared | $341.7M |
| 3 | Juice of fruits n.e.c. | $277.4M |
| 4 | Processed cheese | $241.2M |
| 5 | Meat of chickens; fresh or chilled | $167.9M |
| 6 | Cheese from whole cow milk | $154.4M |
| 7 | Palm oil | $87.9M |
| 8 | Compound feed n.e.c. | $75.4M |
| 9 | Butter of cow milk | $73.0M |
| 10 | Infant food | $32.2M |
Top Agricultural Imports (2023)
| # | Commodity | Import Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rice; milled | $1.7B |
| 2 | Wheat | $1.5B |
| 3 | Meat of chickens; fresh or chilled | $1.3B |
| 4 | Raw cane or beet sugar (centrifugal only) | $1.0B |
| 5 | Maize (corn) | $1.0B |
| 6 | Barley | $730.0M |
| 7 | Palm oil | $713.6M |
| 8 | Infant food | $616.6M |
| 9 | Meat of cattle boneless; fresh or chilled | $598.9M |
| 10 | Cake of soya beans | $558.4M |
Trade Profile Summary
- Leading agricultural export: Refined sugar
- Leading agricultural import: Rice; milled
Frequently Asked Questions
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Learn More About Tariffs & Trade
Related Trade & Economic Data
Source: FAO FAOSTAT Trade: Crops and Livestock (TCL). Covers top 100 agricultural commodities traded among the top 50 nations by volume. Values in USD (converted from 1000 USD FAO units). Years: 2018–2023.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.