RIYADH — The Saudi Grains Organization (SAGO) announced on Thursday a tender to import 540,000 tons of feed barley to be supplied during the period of April-May 2021, in order to increase the reserve stock until the private sector assumes the mission of importing and selling barley. Governor of SAGO Eng. Ahmad Abdulaziz Al-Fares stated that the amount specified in the tender is distributed to 9 ships; six ships with the amount of 360,000 tons for the Kingdom’s ports in Jeddah and three ships with the amount of 180,000 tons for the Kingdom’s ports in Dammam. The governor pointed out that this tender comes within the framework of increasing local stocks while the private sector completes its preparations to assume the mission of importing and selling of barley, noting that SAGO continues to complete procedures for qualifying companies through the “import” platform. The Saudi Cabinet had previously approved to assign the importing and selling barley mission to the private sector in line with the government"s direction toward increasing the private sector’s contribution to the economy and opening new areas for it to achieve the objectives of the Kingdom"s Vision 2030.