The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has lifted the temporary ban imposed on the import of poultry and fresh, chilled, and frozen products from the Kingdom of Thailand.
However, the temporary ban on eggs and their products still remains in the Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia.
SFDA had previously issued a resolution imposing a temporary ban on the import of poultry, eggs, and their products due to the emergence and outbreak of HPAI in Thailand, in 2004.
SFDA’s decision to lift the temporary ban came after reviewing the immediate notification reports issued by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), stating that there had been no new outbreaks of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Thailand during the past four years.
Also, a visit by the SFDA’s technical team to Thailand has been made and they recommended lifting the temporary ban imposed on the import of poultry and its products.
Thailand’s CP Foods restarted exports of processed chicken to Saudi Arabia in March this year, following the restoration of full diplomatic relations between Bangkok and Riyadh.
CP Foods is a Bangkok-listed unit of leading Thai conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group.
Saudi Arabia has relied on Ukraine and France for about 30% of its imported chicken, while buying 70% from Brazil, according to Thai media.
Imports from Thailand could help the nation make up for any supply chain disruption caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a major chicken export to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Eleven chicken processing plants in Thailand, including five belonging to CP Foods, received halal certification from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, according to the Thai Commerce Ministry.
The restart of exports to Saudi Arabia, which imports up to 590,000 tons of chicken a year, will provide significant opportunities to Thai exporters, said CEO Prasit Boondoungprasert of CP Foods, formally Charoen Pokphand Foods.
He credited his government for its work on mending ties with Saudi Arabia, allowing exports to resume.
After the discussions, the SFDA website changed the import status of Thai poultry meat and products from “Banned” to “Permitted”.
