Saudi Arabia is the third largest importer of spices in the world after the US and Spain with a booming market which is worth SR1 billion ($266.5 million), said a report.

The Kingdom for many years has been more of a spices importer depending on key partners India, Pakistan, Indonesia, China, and Vietnam, although some products are grown locally, reported the Saudi Gazette.

The kingdom is also one of the fastest growing markets for imported food products in the Gulf region, it added.

The spice market in Saudi Arabia is huge, but number of major players in the kingdom is miniscule when compared to the neighbouring countries like UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, said the report citing Mahfooz Jawed, the business development manager of Shan Foods.

The company is expanding its production facility in the kingdom with a new plant in Makkah that will produce curry powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder and cumin powder.

The new plant will be ready in four months, the report stated.

Jawed said when fully operational, it will boast of a production capacity of one ton of mixed spices per hour.