Commerce Ministry Seals Thai-Saudi Arabia Deal: ARASCO Orders Additional 30,000 Tons of Cassava Pellets

The Ministry of Commerce held talks with ARASCO, a leader in Food Security in Saudi Arabia, securing an immediate additional order of 30,000 tons of cassava pellets from Thailand, with plans to order another 100,000 tons next year. They also explored opportunities to expand comprehensive cooperation in Thai agricultural and food products.

On 4 December 2025 (local time) at Arabian Agricultural Services Company (ARASCO) in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ms. Suphajee Suthumpun, Minister of Commerce, revealed that she, along with Ms. Kirida Phaopijit, Assistant Minister of Commerce; Mr. Wutthikrai Leewiraphan, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce; Ms. Piyanuch Wutthison, Advisor to the Minister of Commerce; Ms. Chotima Iamsawatikul, Director-General of the Department of International Trade Negotiations; and other Ministry of Commerce executives, met to discuss with Mr. Ziyad A. Al-Sheikh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Arabian Agricultural Services Company (ARASCO), one of Saudi Arabia’s key companies driving Food Security, operating for over 40 years across animal feed production, food products, fertilizers, pesticides, veterinary medicines and vaccines, as well as comprehensive logistics services.

The Minister of Commerce disclosed that Thailand has continuously engaged with ARASCO to support the company’s goal of strengthening Saudi Arabia’s food security. Cassava pellets are a key area of cooperation, with an initial export trial of about 20,000 tons that received very positive feedback.

“ARASCO’s criteria for raw material imports include reasonable price, standard quality, timely delivery, and continuous supply. Thailand meets all these requirements, leading to today’s decision to increase the order by about 30,000 tons. If all goes well, ARASCO expects demand to rise by another 100,000 tons next year,” Suphajee said. .

During this meeting, both sides also exchanged views on further cooperation opportunities in a variety of agricultural and food products. Thailand proposed additional products such as rice husks, Napier grass for animal feed, as well as fish feed and poultry feed, which ARASCO showed interest in and is ready to explore for long-term business development with Thailand.

Moreover, ARASCO plans to develop its domestic poultry industry to increase self-reliance. Thailand highlighted its expertise in halal food and food processing. Yesterday, discussions with Thai exporters to Saudi Arabia noted that Thailand is ready to export products like processed chicken, gyoza, sausages, nuggets, and other ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat items, with Saudi Arabia’s market still holding significant growth potential.

The Minister of Commerce added that Thailand is well-positioned as a reliable source of high-quality raw materials and food partners. Thailand can leverage the diverse businesses within ARASCO’s group to expand exports of agricultural and food products to the Middle East, covering animal feed raw materials, food or livestock joint ventures, and agricultural innovation or Smart Farming development.

In 2024, Saudi Arabia ranked as Thailand’s 19th largest trading partner globally and 2nd in the Middle East region. Bilateral trade was valued at 7.757 billion USD, with Thai exports at 2.857 billion USD and imports at 4.900 billion USD. Saudi Arabia is Thailand’s 26th largest export market for agricultural and food products (HS codes 01-24), with exports valued at 247.25 million USD. In the first 10 months (Jan–Oct) of 2025, Thai agricultural and food exports to Saudi Arabia totaled 219.62 million USD, including key products such as processed fish, rice, animal feed, fruits, coconuts, and vegetables.

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