Saudi Arabia Govt Bans Poultry And Eggs From Nigeria, Ghana, Other 38 Countries

Saudi Arabia has imposed a ban on poultry and egg imports from Nigeria and 39 other countries, citing precautionary public health and food safety measures.

The restriction was announced by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), which said the decision aligns with its efforts to safeguard consumer health and maintain food safety standards in the Kingdom.

In addition to Nigeria, several African nations were affected, including South Africa, Ghana, Cameroon, Libya, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Niger, and Ivory Coast.

According to Saudi Gazette, the list of banned countries is subject to periodic review based on global animal disease risk assessments and international health reports.

Countries under the total ban 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, India, Hong Kong, Japan, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Serbia, Slovenia, Ivory Coast, and Montenegro.

However, the authority clarified that poultry meat and related products that undergo heat treatment or processing sufficient to eliminate the Newcastle disease virus may be exempt. Such products must meet approved health regulations and be accompanied by an official health certificate from the exporting country.