By: Sunday Ameh
Saudi Arabia has announced a ban on the importation of poultry and egg products from Nigeria and 39 other countries as part of precautionary measures aimed at protecting public health and ensuring food safety.
The restriction was disclosed by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), which said the decision forms part of ongoing efforts to safeguard consumers and prevent the spread of animal diseases within the Kingdom.
According to reports by the Saudi Gazette, the affected countries include several African nations such as Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Cameroon, Libya, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Niger and Ivory Coast.
Other countries listed under the ban include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Djibouti, China, Iraq, Palestine, Vietnam, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, North Korea, Laos, Myanmar, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, India, Hong Kong, Japan, Serbia, Slovenia and Montenegro.
The SFDA explained that the list of restricted countries would be subject to periodic review based on global animal disease risk assessments and international health surveillance reports.
Possible exemptions
Despite the restriction, the authority clarified that poultry meat and related products that undergo adequate heat treatment capable of eliminating the Newcastle disease virus may still be permitted into Saudi Arabia.
Such products, however, must comply with approved health regulations and be accompanied by an official health certificate issued by the exporting country’s relevant authorities.
The latest measure underscores Saudi Arabia’s tightened biosecurity controls aimed at preventing the introduction of infectious animal diseases through imported food products.
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