More than 850 companies have applied to join the Made in Saudi programme that was introduced to encourage locally made products, a senior executive said.
The initiative will help the country in strengthening "the national industrial identity and developing the private sector's contribution to the economy", Saudi Export Development Authority secretary general Faisal Al Bedah told the state news agency Spa.
Saudi Arabia unveiled the programme, to boost sales of local products domestically and internationally, on March 28.
It is a central plank of the kingdom's Vision 2030 road map to diversify its economy and cut its reliance on oil revenues.
Initiatives such as Made in Saudi could help to boost the contribution of non-oil exports to 50 per cent by 2030, Spa reported last month.
Companies producing goods that meet the quality guidelines will be able to sell their products with an official logo that says "Saudi Made", Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Bandar Alkhorayef said at the online launch in March.
Gulf countries are increasing production to generate more economic value locally after the coronavirus pandemic.
Many countries are giving priority to self-sufficiency after measures to stem the pandemic disrupted trade and supply chains.
This year, Abu Dhabi unveiled a new initiative to promote locally made products to try to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of basic goods and support local businesses.
Checks continue
A High Court judge issued an interim order on Friday suspending a decision by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots to direct a stop to Brexit agri-food checks at Northern Ireland ports.
Mr Justice Colton said he was making the temporary direction until a judicial review of the minister's unilateral action this week to order a halt to port checks that are required under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Civil servants have yet to implement the instruction, pending legal clarity on their obligations, and checks are continuing.
The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families
Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Age: 19
Profession: medical student at UAE university
Favourite book: The Ocean at The End of The Lane by Neil Gaiman
Role model: Parents, followed by Fazza (Shiekh Hamdan bin Mohammed)
Favourite poet: Edger Allen Poe
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
