Saudi: Approximately 600,000 Tons of Meat Wasted Annually
Approximately 600,000 tons of meat is wasted annually in Saudi Arabia, according to the National Program for Reducing Food Loss and Waste in the Kingdom; one of the programs of the General Food Security Authority (GFSA). This was revealed during the GFSA’s disclosure of the annual quantities of meat and poultry that are lost and wasted in the Kingdom, and it has called for the reduction of this phenomenon.
The GFSA said that meat is considered among the main meals, but is being wasted in large quantities in Saudi Arabia. More than 444,000 tons of poultry have been wasted, and more than 22,000 tons of sheep meat, as well as more than 13,000 tons of camel meat, have been wasted. The wasted quantities of meat also included more than 41,000 tons of cow meat, in addition to more than 69,000 tons of fish.
The GFSA previously indicated that one of the reasons for waste is buying large quantities of food, misusing offers, as well as preparing foods in quantities that are more than needed.
It is worth mentioning that the Saudi Grains Organization (SAGO), represented by the National Program for Reducing Food Loss and Waste, launched in 2022 an awareness campaign to raise awareness of the importance of food diversification.
The drive promoted sound practices of consumption, as well as motivated the adoption of solutions that contribute to reducing food waste. This was after it was revealed that the value of food waste in the Kingdom exceeded SR40 billion annually, while the percentage of food loss and waste reached 33%.
