Saudi Arabia lifts ban on Indian seafood imports

Published: 04 Aug 2009 22:25:26 PST

Saudi Arabia has lifted the ban on the import of fish and other sea products from India. The ban was imposed a few years ago on seafood items from a number of countries affected by cholera. Vibrio cholera, a type of pathogen, which was detected in samples exported from India and other south Asian countries. Recently a delegation from Saudi Arabia visited seafood processing centres in India and held discussions with the officials of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI). The delegation was reportedly impressed with the arrangements made by the Indian seafood industry for maintaining international quality standards following which the ban was lifted.
A health certificate as mentioned in the handbook of the import of food stuff through the exit points of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, issued by a competent authority, should be enclosed with each consignment. This is to ensure that it is free from cholera or any other epidemic disease.