Saudi Arabia bans poultry, egg imports from 40 countries
Partial restrictions also apply to selected regions in 16 additional countries
SAUDI ARABIA – The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has enforced a complete ban on poultry and egg imports from 40 countries, alongside partial restrictions affecting specific provinces and cities in 16 other nations.
The measure is part of the SFDA’s ongoing efforts to protect public health and maintain food safety standards in the domestic market.
Officials noted that the list of banned countries is reviewed periodically to reflect developments in global animal disease outbreaks and epidemiological trends.
According to a report reviewed by Okaz newspaper, some countries have been on the ban list since 2004, while others were added over time following risk evaluations and international disease reports.
The authority cited outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza as a key factor driving import restrictions.
Countries subject to the full ban include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Djibouti, South Africa, China, Iraq, Ghana, Palestine, Vietnam, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Cameroon, South Korea, North Korea, Laos, Libya, Myanmar, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, India, Hong Kong, Japan, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Serbia, Slovenia, Ivory Coast, and Montenegro.
Partial bans are in place in selected provinces or cities in Australia, the United States, Italy, Belgium, Bhutan, Poland, Togo, Denmark, Romania, Zimbabwe, France, the Philippines, Canada, Malaysia, Austria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The SFDA clarified that poultry meat and related products that have been heat-treated or processed to eliminate the Newcastle disease virus are exempt from the ban if they comply with established health standards and regulations.
Exempt products must include a health certificate issued by official authorities in the exporting country, confirming that the heat treatment or processing effectively removes the virus.
Authorities emphasized that the exemption is valid only when the products originate from approved facilities and meet all regulatory requirements, ensuring the imported goods do not pose a risk to consumers.
The import restrictions reflect the SFDA’s continued surveillance of global animal health threats and its intention to limit the potential introduction of infectious diseases into the Saudi poultry market.
The authority has indicated that updates to the ban list may occur in response to new disease reports or changes in international risk assessments, signaling a flexible approach to safeguarding the country’s food supply.
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