Saudi Arabian businessmen expressed their interest in investing in the Romanian agricultural and livestock sector, including in establishing halal-certified slaughterhouses, following a meeting that the Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, had on Tuesday with a delegation of the Saudi Business Council for the development of bilateral cooperation in the agricultural field.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR), issued to the public on Tuesday, the meeting took place in the context of the official visit of the Saudi Business Council to Romania (November 10 to 12, 2025), which includes bilateral meetings at the governmental and institutional level.
The discussions focused on identifying areas of common interest and solutions aimed at encouraging Saudi investments in the Romanian agricultural and livestock sector with benefits for farmers. The topics addressed included the development of joint projects in the field of food security, investments in agricultural land to strengthen long-term food chains, halal certifications and veterinary standards to facilitate exports to Saudi Arabia, modern technologies and efficient irrigation systems.
Minister Florin Barbu stressed the importance of high-level technical and economic cooperation between the two states, recalling the Romania - Saudi Arabia collaboration document on agriculture and rural development, signed in July 2024, which aims to develop and encourage economic, scientific and technical cooperation between ministries, research institutes and organizations in the agricultural field.
During the meeting, the Romanian official presented the investment opportunities available in Romania, emphasizing the establishment of sheep and cattle slaughterhouses, including halal ones, investments in irrigation systems, Romania having a rehabilitation plan for 2.7 million hectares, of which 1.6 million have already been rehabilitated.
At the same time, Florin Barbu stated that the support provided by the European Union for the development of farmers also plays a significant role in the development of farmers. The minister also highlighted the stage of investments in processing units, with signed projects worth a total of 2 billion euros.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Saudi Arabian businessmen have expressed their interest in making investments in the agricultural and zootechnical sectors and establishing partnerships with companies in Romania, including the establishment of halal-certified slaughterhouses.
"We focused on modern factories, with advanced technologies, to support the competitiveness of Romanian producers. Thus, our country has all the prerequisites to become the largest processor in southeastern Europe. Romania is a reliable partner, with significant agricultural potential. We want to strengthen economic relations with Saudi Arabia and support investments that can contribute to the food security of both states," said Barbu, quoted in the press release.
In addition, during the discussions, the minister showed that Romania ranks first in the European Union in grain exports and has a competitive livestock sector, with almost 13 million sheep, as well as high-quality cattle breeds raised for beef. At the same time, he stressed that the poultry sector in Romania is highly developed, with a self-sufficiency rate of 170%, and highlighted the fact that an investment in halal-certified slaughterhouses would represent a great opportunity to cover the demand on the Saudi market and in the Middle East.
"The Saudi delegation asked specific questions regarding Romania's agricultural and zootechnical potential and expressed its interest in the Saudi Minister of Agriculture paying an official visit to Romania, while Romanian investors, in turn, are encouraged to explore business opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," the statement added.
The Saudi Business Council delegation was led by its president, Mohammed Salah Mutabagani, and the meeting at the MADR took place in the presence of the ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Bucharest, Mohammed Abdulghani Khayat. Alongside the Romanian Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, were the Secretary of State Violeta Musat, the management of the specialized technical departments within the MADR, as well as the Romanian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Sebastian Mitrache.
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