Domestic production is insufficient to meet the current requirements and food imports in the GCC region stood at USD25.8 billion in 2010. High dependence on imports makes the GCC food supply very vulnerable and highly dependent on the world food market. In the past, any form of disruption in food imports, either due to policy restrictions by exporting countries or natural calamities has affected the region significantly. As a result, food security is an important issue for the region and the countries have taken initiatives to enhance domestic production and at the same time to secure food imports through international agricultural investments.
