RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has placed a temporary ban on imports of poultry meat and table eggs from Indonesia under updated health controls published by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, tightening access for Indonesian products to one of the region’s largest food markets. The restriction is set out in SFDA Policy No. 6057 and took effect on March 1, 2026, according to an Indonesian Trade Ministry statement. The move forms part of a wider SFDA update covering multiple countries and selected regions.
The SFDA posted an updated decision notice on February 23, 2026, outlining countries subject to temporary prohibitions on importing poultry meat and table eggs into the Kingdom. Indonesia is included among 40 countries facing a full ban under the updated list, while 16 additional countries face partial restrictions limited to specific provinces, states, or cities. The SFDA described the measures as temporary and linked them to health requirements governing poultry and egg imports.
Reports describing the SFDA update said the restrictions were tied to animal disease controls, including highly pathogenic avian influenza and Newcastle disease, which can affect poultry trade and import certification. The partial restrictions listed by SFDA include limited areas such as U.S. states Delaware, Kentucky, and Minnesota, as well as selected regions in countries including Canada, France, and Malaysia. The SFDA list includes major poultry-producing and trading economies alongside Indonesia, reflecting the breadth of the import controls.
Health certification requirements
The SFDA said the prohibitions do not apply to poultry meat and related products that have been heat-treated or processed by methods capable of eliminating viruses linked to avian influenza and Newcastle disease, provided shipments meet approved health requirements and standard specifications. The authority said qualifying products must be accompanied by an official health certificate confirming the processing method used. It also said the goods must originate from an approved establishment, a condition that applies alongside certification and other import controls.
Indonesia’s Trade Attaché in Riyadh, Zulvri Yenni, said in a Trade Ministry statement on March 3 that the Saudi restriction on Indonesian poultry and eggs is not linked to halal certification, but to product quality and compliance with health requirements and applicable standards. He said Indonesia’s halal certificates have been accepted by Saudi Arabia under cooperation between Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency, known as BPJPH, and the SFDA, following an agreement signed on October 19, 2023.
Trade and regulatory context
Indonesian officials said Indonesia has not resumed poultry and egg exports to Saudi Arabia because it has not regained avian influenza-free status reflected in the latest World Organisation for Animal Health report, which was last updated on January 28, 2026. The WOAH, formerly known as the OIE, provides animal health information used by governments to support import requirements for live animals and animal products. Indonesian officials said the Saudi measures underscore the importance of meeting health status and certification benchmarks.
Saudi Arabia’s poultry and egg import rules are enforced through SFDA approvals, establishment controls, and shipment documentation requirements, with separate conditions for raw products and processed items that meet disease mitigation standards. The Indonesian Trade Ministry said the SFDA’s import prohibition lists are periodically updated in line with global animal health developments referenced in WOAH reporting, and it reiterated that Indonesia’s restriction is grounded in health standards under Policy No. 6057. – By Content Syndication Services.