Staff Reporter
Karachi
President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Mian Anjum Nisar while referring product certification to be required by Saudi Arabia wide its new note verbal No 210-41-1601, dated July 28, 2020, strongly urged all stakeholders in the public-private sector, Government sector, and ministry should take up this issue immediately.
According to the notification from the Saudi Food and drug authority (SFDA) has issued health and hygiene conditions and requirements that must be met by food factories exporting their products to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
These mandatory conditions will enter into force on July 1, 2021, and the Saudi Authority SFDA had notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of this change on October 7, 2019. New conditions Details can be found at the SFDA website.
Saudi Arabia considered being the single largest market for food and beverage products in the Gulf, accounting for more than half of all of the region’s imports. Our food industries have a sizeable trade with Saudi Arabia. Mian Anjum Nisar shared his grave concerns over it if the food sector industries are not able to acquire the halal certificate it will face difficulties and un-amendable losses.
The industries of Pakistan especially SMEs have not been fully recovered through post-corona economic tragedy. Hike in power and natural gas prices are also forcing them into vulnerability. Any industry engaged in food sector activity without an accredited halal certification will lose the opportunity to trade with Saudi Arabia.
