Vietnamese seafood items to be re-exported to Saudi Arabia

The move comes following the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Vietnam sending a diplomatic note to Vietnamese authorities in order to notify the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) about granting permission for 12 local firms to re-export seafood products to the Middle Eastern country.

According to the Asia-Africa Market Department, the re-export of local seafood items will create a positive outlook for the domestic seafood sector amid exports to several markets facing hurdles as a result of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.

The MoIT will continue to co-ordinate efforts alongside the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and other relevant agencies in order to ask the SFDA to add more local businesses that are permitted to re-export to the Saudi Arabian market, while also removing the temporary suspension placed on seafood imports to the market.

Furthermore, local seafood exporters have been requested to strengthen inspection over aquaculture and processing establishments as away of meeting the food safety and hygiene requirements set by the demanding market, therefore avoiding the imposition of an import ban on seafood products that originate from Vietnam in the future.

Since January, 2018, Saudi Arabia has imposed a temporary order relating to the suspension of seafood imports originating from Vietnam. This came after an SFDA inspection team concluded that some the country’s shrimp and tra fish production and processing facilities failed to meet requirements on food hygiene and safety.