São Paulo – Saudi Arabia suspended earlier this week the poultry imports from 11 Brazilian processing plants. The decision was published in a list on the website of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), containing the plants permitted to export to the Arab country.
Imports from seven JBS plants and its subsidiary Seara will be suspended. The other plants are owned by Vibra Agroindustrial S/A and Agroaraca Industria De Alimentos Ltda.
Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) secretary-general Tamer Mansour said the plants represent 50% of the previous list and account for 65% of the halal poultry shipped from Brazil to the Saudis. Saudi Arabia is the second largest foreign market of poultry from Brazil, taking in around 12% of the product’s exports.
The ABCC said in a statement it waits for the technical note of the Saudi Authority. “As soon as we learn of the document, the ABCC will take appropriate measures together with the competent bodies of the Brazilian and Saudi government, sectorial entities and companies wishing to collaborate in talks reestablish the supply of halal poultry from Brazil to the largest economy of the League of Arab States,” the statement said.
On Thursday, May 6, Brazil’s agriculture and foreign ministries released a joint statement regarding the topic. “Brazil reiterates the high standards of quality and health followed by our entire chain of products animal origin, ensured by rigorous inspections by the official veterinary service,” the statement said. The government added it has initiated talks with Saudi Arabia’s authorities and the country’s embassy in Brasília regarding the bans.
JBS told ANBA it sought out SFDA “to talk and understand the motivations for the ban on poultry exports to the country.” The company added the production previously bound to Saudi Arabia has been redirected to other markets.
Saudi Arabia has for some time tried to boost domestic poultry production, and in fact BRF SA, Brazil’s biggest chicken processor, has announced investments in the Arab country. In 2020, BRF concluded the purchase of 100% of Joody Al Sharqiya Food Production Factory, a food processing plant in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. It’s also building a plant in the Arab country.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
