Saudi Arabia has banned the import of poultry products i.e. chicken and eggs from 40 countries including India. According to media reports, Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has issued an order in this regard. India is also included in this ban. It is being told that this step has been taken as a precaution to protect the health of the people and to strengthen the food safety standards in the country’s market. According to the report, SFDA has said that this list can be changed from time to time according to the global health situation.
Some countries have been banned in Saudi Arabia since 2004, while others were added later. This decision has been taken on the basis of risk assessment and international reports. Especially in view of the outbreak of diseases like bird flu (avian influenza). According to Gulf News, this amendment made in the import list is considered to be one of the biggest changes in recent years.
Ban on 40 countries including India
The 40 countries that have been completely banned include India along with 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, United Kingdom, Egypt, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Hong Kong, Japan, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Serbia, Slovenia, Ivory Coast and Montenegro are included.
Partial ban in 16 countries
Countries with partial restrictions include Australia, US, Italy, Belgium, Bhutan, Poland, Togo, Denmark, Romania, Zimbabwe, France, Philippines, Canada, Malaysia, Austria and Democratic Republic of Congo. Only certain areas of these countries have been banned.
Why was the ban imposed?
The authority has clarified that if poultry meat or related products have been subjected to sufficient heat or processing to destroy the Newcastle disease virus, then such products may be exempted from the temporary ban. For this, it is necessary that the product be accompanied by a certificate issued by the official health agency of that country, which confirms that the processing has been done correctly. Also, the product must come from a recognized factory.
How much is Indian poultry export?
According to DGCIS data, India’s poultry exports have more than doubled to nearly $149 million in the first six months of the current financial year. The main reason for this has been the strong demand for eggs in the Middle East countries. In the same period last year, the export of poultry goods like eggs and egg products was 71.16 million dollars. If seen in rupee terms, poultry exports in the first half of the current financial year stood at Rs 1,288.63 crore. India’s poultry exports have increased due to strong demand from countries like United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman. Oman has also been the largest buyer of Indian eggs, but in the first six months of the current financial year, UAE has overtaken Oman and become the largest buyer.
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