Expansion of Regulated Products for Exports of Food to Saudi Arabia
28 Sep 2021
Exports of Fresh Produce to Saudi Arabia require a Certificate of Conformity
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) recently implemented the mandatory issuance of a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) by authorized Certification Bodies for all consignments of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, Agricultural Crops, and Spices exported from Egypt, India, and Jordan for their Customs clearance at Saudi Arabia’s Ports and Borders.
All products under these categories exported from India and Jordan to KSA shall comply with the Technical Regulation SFDA.FD 382 for the Maximum Limits of Pesticide Residues in Agricultural and Food Products.
However, for exports of such products from Egypt to KSA, SFDA has issued revised certification instructions to all Certification Bodies which includes revision in the list of regulated products which are listed below.
Only the following product consignments exported from Egypt to KSA shall require a CoC issued by an approved Certification Body for its clearance at KSA Ports/Borders:
- Guava
- Orange
- Pomegranate
- Strawberry
- Leafy Vegetables
- Grapes
- Grapefruit
- Lemon
- Onion
- Cowpea
- Dry Cumin
- Anise
The CoC for other Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, Agricultural Crops, and Spices not specified above will continue voluntarily until 14 October 2021. The mandatory certification for these products will be implemented on 15 October 2021. Apart from the mandatory pesticide residue analysis, the aforementioned products exported from Egypt shall also obtain a Test Report stating that the consignment has been tested for the absence of Hepatitis A virus.
Exporters are advised to obtain CoCs for such food product consignments to avoid any Saudi Customs clearance issues at the KSA Ports/Borders on its arrival.