Saudi Gazette report

MAKKAH — Rice topped the list of the most wasted foodgrains in the Kingdom, according to a study conducted by specialists in all regions of the Kingdom. The study was aimed at organizing food preservation operations.

According to the study, a copy of which was obtained by Makkah newspaper, the annual volume of imported rice is 130,000 ton, of which 34 percent is wasted. Rice is the topmost cereal grain in terms of consumption in Saudi Arabia, the study acknowledged.

Flour and bread came second in terms of rates of wastage and loss reaching 30% of the available quantity, followed by chicken with 29%, and then vegetables, fruits, and meat.

The rate of wastage and loss in flour and bread amounted to 917,000 ton during distribution, manufacturing, consumption and due to damage.

The percentages of wastage in vegetables varied due to preservation factors and damage of some of the vegetables, with the passage of time.

The quantities of wastage and loss of some foods annually, includes rice at 557,000 ton, sheep and goat mutton at 22,000, chicken meat at 444,000, beef at 41,000, camel meat at 13,000, potatoes at 201,000, tomatoes at 234,000, fish at 69,000, and onions at 110,000 ton.