Riyadh _ Agencies
Saudi Arabian Grain Corporation announced that it had informed qualified international grain suppliers to stop supplying wheat and barley shipments of Canadian origin.
This came in a statement of the foundation today, against the backdrop of strained diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Saudi Arabia imports 3.5 million tons of wheat annually from multiple origins around the world, with Canada among the main exporters of wheat to the kingdom.
Last Monday, Saudi Arabia summoned its ambassador to Canada, declaring the latter´s ambassador to Riyadh, "an undesirable person", against the backdrop of what Riyadh has promised "an open and flagrant interference in the internal affairs of the country."
"We have frozen all new trade and investment transactions with Canada and have maintained their right to take further action," the kingdom said.
This followed the call by Canadian Foreign Minister Kriyya Frieland, Riyadh, for the release of those named "civil society activists" who were arrested in the kingdom.
Since 2006, Saudi investment in Canadian companies has reached about 6 billion dollars, according to the US economic agency "Bloomberg".
