In a major step towards strengthening food security and optimizing grain supply chains, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has officially launched the National Grains Supply Company, SABIL. It is set to operate 14 silo branches across the Kingdom, including four port locations.
The announcement was made during a high-level ceremony held at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture headquarters, under the patronage of His Excellency Eng. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Food Safety Authority and the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC).
The establishment of SABIL marks a significant milestone in the transformation of Saudi Arabia’s grain sector. It comes in line with Cabinet Resolutions No. (440) and (621), which mandate the transfer of operational responsibilities from the General Grains Organization to the General Food Safety Authority. The resolutions also established a steering committee to facilitate the transition of operational tasks to SALIC—wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). As part of this transition, SABIL will assume full responsibility for the management of strategic wheat reserves and the operations of storage silos across the Kingdom.
Speaking at the event, H.E. Eng. Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Fares, Governor of the General Food Safety Authority, emphasized that the launch of SABIL represents a transformative phase in the institutional development of the grains sector. “This initiative aligns with national strategies to enhance the efficiency, resilience, and sustainability of food supply chains,” Al-Fares stated. He also noted that during the transitional period, the Authority will continue to oversee the procurement of both local and imported wheat, while SABIL gradually assumes end-to-end responsibilities from port handling to mill delivery.
Eng. Sulaiman bin Abdulrahman AlRumaih, CEO of SALIC Group, highlighted that the formation of SABIL is a strategic move to build an integrated operational ecosystem encompassing all stages of the food supply chain. “From sourcing raw commodities to managing logistics, storage, and food manufacturing, SABIL is designed to enhance food security through efficiency, innovation, and inter-agency collaboration,” AlRumaih said.
Sulaiman bin Abdulrahman AlRumaih
SALIC CEO
Mr. Abdulrahman bin Saud Al Owais, CEO of SABIL, underlined the company’s vision to set new benchmarks in operational excellence. “We are committed to supporting Saudi Arabia’s food security goals by implementing global best practices and adopting advanced solutions to improve operational efficiency and supply chain resilience,” he said. Al Owais also stressed the importance of establishing strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in the sector.
SABIL is set to operate 14 silo branches across the Kingdom, including four port locations—Jeddah Islamic Port, King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, Yanbu Commercial Port, and Jazan Port. The total grain storage capacity under SABIL's management will exceed 2.7 million metric tons.