Saudi Arabia Implements New Procedures to Facilitate the Import of Food Products

On May 30, 2019, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) of Saudi Arabia published the “Addendum to the mechanism for the production and import of ready-made food”, related to the “Mechanism (conditions and controls) for the production and importation of ready-made food.”

To facilitate the measures of production and import of food products for human consumption, the following conditions are adopted:

• Whenever food products need to be imported in Saudi Arabia before July 18, 2019, electronic registration may be avoided in order to facilitate the trade;
• In any case, the temperature of goods needs to be monitored from the very beginning of the import process;
• Certificates of halal for meat products is also mandatory. Random checks on goods are planned to ensure compliance with the regulation.

View the full text of all SFDA documents in our Food Law Library.