Saudi Arabia changes rules for frozen poultry imports
Saudi Arabia decided to change rules in frozen poultry imports and the first supplier hit was Brazil, with 11 poultry plants banned for exports in the Kingdom. The decision was transmitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on the same day the ban was imposed for Brazilian poultry processors. The measure affects all countries that export poultry meat to the country and is being treated in the scope of the World Poultry Council (IPC) to build a unified global reaction, the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA) informed in a statement.
"Among member nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO), as is the case of Brazil and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is not acceptable to impose sanitary barriers without proper technical evidence - as recommended in the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Agreement (SPS) and the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement (TBT)", commented the industry association.
According to ABPA, "the reduction of shelf life (or validity of a product from its date of manufacture) to three months, without clear technical criteria and far from the practice of the international market, suggests a decision with a potential protectionist nature". The second-largest importer of chicken meat from Brazil, Saudi Arabia accounted for about 12% of Brazilian shipments last year. At this moment, BRF has remained the only Brazilian poultry producer present in the Saudi market. Last week, 11 Brazilian slaughterhouses had their export authorization suspended by Saudi Arabia.
(Photo source: Prima Chicken)
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