Saudi Arabia bans poultry, egg imports from 40 nations, India included

Saudi Arabia has stopped poultry and egg imports from 40 countries, including India, as a safety step against bird flu; processed, heat-treated products are exempt under strict rules

Saudi Arabia announced a complete suspension of poultry meat and table egg imports from 40 countries, including India, as a precaution against bird flu and other animal diseases, Khaleej Times reported. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) issued the decision in its latest update. 

The restrictions aim to safeguard public health and maintain food safety standards in the domestic market. The SFDA said the move is part of ongoing efforts to monitor global disease outbreaks. It added that the list of affected countries is reviewed regularly based on international health developments, the news report said. 

The authority noted that some countries have faced restrictions since 2004, while others were added later following risk assessments and global reports of animal disease outbreaks, especially highly pathogenic avian influenza.

 

40 countries under total ban

The full ban applies to imports from India and 39 other countries. These 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, Hong Kong, Japan, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Serbia, Slovenia, Ivory Coast and Montenegro.

Partial restrictions in 16 countries

In addition to the complete ban, Saudi authorities have imposed partial restrictions on specific regions in 16 countries. These are 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 partial ban applies only to certain provinces or cities in these countries and does not cover nationwide imports.

Exemption for processed products

The SFDA clarified that the suspension does not apply to poultry and related products that have undergone heat treatment or other approved processing methods capable of eliminating viruses such as bird flu or Newcastle disease, The Times of India report said. 

However, such products must meet strict conditions. They must:

• Fully comply with approved health standards and specifications
• Be accompanied by an official health certificate
• Have certification issued by the competent authority in the exporting country
• Confirm that the heat treatment or processing eliminates bird flu or Newcastle disease viruses
• Originate from an approved production facility