The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Florin Barbu, held a meeting with a delegation of the Saudi Business Council led by Dr. Mohammed Salah Mutabagani, in the presence of H.E. Dr. Mohammed Abdulghani Khayat, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Bucharest. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fields of agriculture, livestock, and the food industry, with an emphasis on strategic investments and joint projects for food security.

The topics addressed included the development of halal-certified slaughterhouses, the modernization of irrigation systems, and the stimulation of investments in agri-food processing infrastructure. The Saudi officials expressed interest in stable commercial partnerships and in Romanian technologies applicable to agriculture.

Minister Florin Barbu highlighted Romania’s competitive potential on the regional market: “Romania is a reliable partner, with all the prerequisites to become the largest processor in Southeast Europe. We have resources, production capacities, and an openness to foreign investments that can generate added value in the agri-food sector.”

The meeting reaffirmed the mutual interest in intensifying trade exchanges and identifying concrete avenues for collaboration between the public and private sectors in areas such as meat processing, sustainable agriculture, and smart irrigation.