September 9, 2004

Saudi Arabia Bans Poultry Imports From Malaysia

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Commerce and Industry has temporarily banned poultry imports from Malaysia. This move comes after the country reported a fresh outbreak of bird flu.

The ban also includes all Asian countries with a history of bird flu outbreak. They include Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Tibet as well as Hong Kong.

Commerce Minister Hashim Yamani issued a decision last February banning all Asian poultry coming through King Abdul Aziz port in Dammam.

Saudi Arabia is among the first countries in the Gulf region to ban Asian poultry imports following the bird flu outbreak in the region last year.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture has now lifted a temporary ban on import of US poultry. The ban was imposed in the wake of an outbreak of West Nile Fever in the US.

Furthermore, a ban on eggs import from the Arab Company for Development of Livestock in Jordan as well as the National Company for Jordanian Poultry was also lifted.