Saudi Arabia Imposes Avian Product Bans on Multiple Regions

Saudi Arabia has imposed temporary import bans on poultry meat, eggs, and their products from specific regions in Poland, Argentina, France, and Denmark, citing sanitary concerns.

Regulation Analysis: Temporary Import Bans on Poultry Products in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has implemented temporary import bans on poultry meat, eggs, and their products from specific regions in Poland, Argentina, France, and Denmark due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or Newcastle virus outbreaks. These measures are enforced by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) under the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Terrestrial Animal Health Code, Chapter 10.4, to prevent the entry of these viruses into the Kingdom^{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7}.

Current Status of Bans (as of April 2026)

The following table summarizes the active and lifted temporary bans, including exceptions for processed products:

Key Regulatory Provisions

1. Legal Basis for Bans
   • The SFDA enforces temporary bans under WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, Chapter 10.4, which provides guidelines for trade restrictions during animal disease outbreaks^{1, 2, 3, 6, 7}.
   • Bans are triggered by official WOAH reports of HPAI or Newcastle virus outbreaks in exporting regions^{1, 4, 5}.

1. Exceptions for Processed Products
   • Heat-treated or otherwise processed poultry meat and egg products are exempt from bans if:
   • The processing method deactivates the HPAI virus^{2, 3, 6, 7}.
   • The product complies with SFDA-approved health requirements^{2, 3, 6, 7}.
   • An official health certificate from the exporting country’s competent authority confirms the product is free from the virus^{2, 3, 6, 7}.

1. Lifting of Bans
   • Bans are lifted when WOAH reports confirm the affected region is free from HPAI or Newcastle virus^{1, 8, 4, 5}.
   • SFDA issues administrative orders to lift bans (e.g., Ref. No. 33704 for Ain, France⁴; Ref. No. 40675 for Podlaskie, Poland¹).

1. Enforcement Authority
   • The SFDA Food Sector is responsible for implementing and monitoring these bans^{4, 5}.
   • Contact for inquiries:

Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) Address: SFDA – 4904 North Ring Branch Rd, Hitteen Dist, Unit 1, Riyadh 13513-7148 Tel: +(966 11) 203 8222, Ext: 3313 Email: spsep.food@sfda.gov.sa Website:¹(http://www.sfda.gov.sa)^{4, 5}.

Summary Answer

Saudi Arabia has imposed temporary import bans on poultry meat, eggs, and their products from specific regions in Poland (Warmińsko-Mazurskie), Argentina (Buenos Aires, Córdoba), and France (Deux-Sèvres) due to HPAI outbreaks, as reported by WOAH^{2, 3, 6, 7}. Bans on Podlaskie (Poland), Ain and Maine-et-Loire (France), and Southern Denmark have been lifted following WOAH confirmation of disease freedom^{1, 8, 4, 5}. Processed products (heat-treated or otherwise deactivated) are exempt if accompanied by an official health certificate^{2, 3, 6, 7}. The SFDA enforces these measures under WOAH Chapter 10.4 and issues administrative orders to implement or lift bans^{1, 4}. For updates, stakeholders should consult the SFDA’s National Notification Authority or National Enquiry Point^{4, 5}.

Sources

1. ↩ Notice of Administration Order of Saudi Food and Drug Authority Ref. No. 17740 dated 22 October 2025 entitled “Temporary ban on importation of poultry meat, eggs and their products originating from Podlaskie in Poland” https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=Q:/G/SPS/NSAU582A1.pdf&Open=True
2. ↩ Notice of Administration Order of Saudi Food and Drug Authority Ref. No. 38527 dated 12 March 2026 entitled “Temporary ban on importation of poultry meat, eggs and their products originating from Buenos Aires in Argentina” https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=Q:/G/SPS/NSAU615.pdf&Open=True
3. ↩ Notice of Administration Order of Saudi Food and Drug Authority Ref. No. 40691 dated 1 April 2026 entitled “Temporary ban on importation of poultry meat, eggs and their products originating from Cordoba in Argentina” https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=Q:/G/SPS/NSAU616.pdf&Open=True
4. ↩ Notice of Administration Order of Saudi Food and Drug Authority Ref. No. 24733 dated 1 December 2025 entitled “Temporary ban on importation of poultry meat, eggs and their products originating from Deux-Sèvres, Ain and Maine-et-Loire in France” — SS / directdoc https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=Q:/G/SPS/NSAU604A1.pdf&Open=True
5. ↩ Notice of Administration Order of Saudi Food and Drug Authority Ref. No. 15995 dated 14 October 2025 entitled “Temporary ban on importation of poultry meat, eggs and their products originating from Southern Denmark in Denmark” https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=Q:/G/SPS/NSAU574A1.pdf&Open=True
6. ↩ Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures – Notification of emergency measures – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Poultry meat, eggs and their products — SS / directdoc https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=Q:/G/SPS/NSAU573.pdf&Open=True
7. ↩ Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures – Notification of emergency measures – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Poultry meat, eggs and their products — SS / directdoc https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=Q:/G/SPS/NSAU572.pdf&Open=True
8. ↩ Notice of Administration Order of Saudi Food and Drug Authority Ref. No. 24733 dated 1 December 2025 entitled “Temporary ban on importation of poultry meat, eggs and their products originating from Deux-Sèvres, Ain and Maine-et-Loire in France” — SS / directdoc https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=Q:/G/SPS/NSAU604A2.pdf&Open=True