São Paulo – Saudi Arabia imported 37,000 tonnes of cocoa in the first quarter of this year and could quickly surpass total purchases throughout 2022, according to information released by the Arab News website based on official data.
Last year, the Arab country imported over 127,000 tonnes of cocoa, meaning Saudi Arabia already took in over a third of that total in the first three months of 2023.
According to the story, consumption had a considerable boost this year for Ramadan, the holy month of Islam, and Eid al-Fitr, the celebration of the closing of that period.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset but have collective and hearty meals after the sun goes down, increasing food consumption.
In Saudi Arabia, stores and supermarkets offer different types of sweets and chocolates, imported or produced locally. On Eid, discounts are often announced.
The Saudi sweets and chocolates segment is expected to generate USD 5 billion in revenue in 2023 and grow by 3.25% over the previous year, according to Statista. The average consumption per person is estimated to reach 19 kilos a year.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
