SFDA FOOD CONSIGNMENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME
EXPORTER AND IMPORTER GUIDELINES
SAUDI ARABIA
OVERVIEW
4 STEPS TO EXPORTING
Exporters/Importers trading in
Food Products to the Kingdom YOUR PRODUCT
of Saudi Arabia (KSA) need to
comply with the requirements
of the Saudi Food and Drug PRODUCT COMPLIANCE
Authority (SFDA) in order to
clear their Food Consignments
at the Saudi Customs.
Obtaining a Certificate of Conformity
(CoC) is mandatory for Food (Animal/
Vegetable origin) Consignments to KSA
from Egypt and Jordan which was
effective from 1st of March 2019 for
Egypt and from 1st of April 2019 for
Jordan. Effective from 29th October CERTIFICATION PROCESS
2019 SFDA mandated that Agricultural
product consignments including Spice
shipments from India would require test
reports for clearance of such
consignments at KSA Ports/Borders.
From 1st January 2020, SFDA extended
the requirement of CoC and test reports
for consignments of Sheep and Beef
meat, Rice, Processed Fruits &
Vegetables from India. SFDA has also
extended the mandatory issuance of CoC FEES
for Fresh Fruits and Fresh Vegetables,
Spices and Agricultural Crops exported
from Egypt, Jordan, and India for their
clearance at KSA Ports/Borders effective
from 15th September 2021.
Exporters are requested to contact local
Intertek Offices to understand and comply
with the requirements of SFDA to ensure
uninterrupted export of their products to
KSA, by virtue of this new mandate.
CONTACT
SFDA FOOD CONSIGNMENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME
EXPORTER AND IMPORTER GUIDELINES
SAUDI ARABIA
SHIPMENT COMPLIANCE
All Food Products from the following Countries of Supply
Intertek can assist with issuance of CoC for all Food Products (including those listed below)
from the following Countries of Supply (CoS):
Food Products Under Food Products Under
Country of supply
Mandatory Certification Voluntary Certification
Egypt All Food Products of Animal/Vegetable All Other Food Products
origin (including fresh fruits, fresh
SHIPMENT vegetables, agricultural crops and spices)
COMPLIANCE India - Processed Vegetables and Fruits All Other Food Products
- Red Meat
- Rice (Milled)
- Sesame Seeds and products thereof
- Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
- Agricultural Crops
- Spices
Jordan All Food Products of Animal/Vegetable All Other Food Products
origin (including fresh fruits, fresh
vegetables, agricultural crops and spices)
Sri Lanka Tea All Other Food Products
Note: Sri Lankan origin Tea supplied
directly from Sri Lanka and from other CoS.
UAE - All Food Products
Vietnam - All Food Products
Exempted Products Prohibited, Banned and
under the SFDA FCCP Restricted Products
• The initial list of food products under the • Certain products have been classified as
scope does not include certain Products HARAM (Prohibited) in KSA such as but
such as but not limited to Fresh Milk and not limited to Pork and Pork products,
Artificial Sweeteners. Foodstuff and preparations from Animal
• Exporters are advised to contact local blood, Wines and Intoxicants.
Intertek Offices for more information on • Some products have been Banned/
exempted products under SFDA FCCP. Restricted from import into KSA such as
Nutmeg, etc. SHIPMENT
• For more information on the Prohibited COMPLIANCE
and Banned list of products, Exporters
may contact the local Intertek Offices
SFDA FOOD CONSIGNMENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME
EXPORTER AND IMPORTER GUIDELINES
SAUDI ARABIA
PRODUCT COMPLIANCE
Saudi Requirements
All Food Products under the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) shall meet the following
requirements of Saudi Food Law, Standards and Regulations including:
Registration with Saudi Authorities Marking and Labelling Requirements
• Importers must have an account with the • Marking and Labelling information shall be
SFDA and the Food Product must be
PRODUCT registered. This also applies to Fresh Fruits
in Arabic language. Other Languages may be
used in addition to the Arabic Marking and
COMPLIANCE and Vegetables and their Importers. Labeling provided that the information
• Importers must have a valid Commercial written in these languages is equivalent to
Registration Certificate which includes Food the information written in Arabic text.
Trade as a registered commercial activity.
• Marking and Labelling must comply with
• Exporters must be registered with SFDA SFDA.FD/GSO 9 requirements that stresses on
under Registration of Foreign Establishment both consumer information and respect of the
• Exporters of Fresh Fruits and Fresh Saudi Customs and Islamic values (offensive
Vegetables are currently not mandated to imagery, contents shall be avoided).
be Registered with the Saudi Food and • Nutritional Labelling must comply with
Drugs Authority (SFDA).
SFDA.FD 2233 which stipulates the guidelines
on mandatory nutrient declaration and
supplementary nutrition information for
certain prepackaged Food products.
Laws, Regulations and Standards Additional Documentation
• The Food Product must meet the Standards • Original Invoice attested by Trade Authority
and other Requirements as stipulated by the of the Country of Origin
SFDA • Certificate of Origin legalised by Chamber of
• Expiration Dates of Food Products shall Commerce of the Country of Origin
be in line with the SFDA.FD standards • All slaughtered animal products and meat
(SFDA.FD 150-1, SFDA.FD/GSO 150-2) products must be Halal certified and shall be
specified for certain products and shall accompanied with original Halal Slaughter
comply with the minimum shelf-life Certificates and Halal Certificates as applicable
requirement for its export to Saudi Arabia.
• Animal product consignments shall be
• Food Products intended for the Saudi accompanied with Health Certificates
market shall be in compliance to the Halal • All Vegetable and Fruit product (Processed,
requirements as per SFDA.FD/GSO 993 and Frozen, etc.) consignments from Egypt shall be
SFDA.FD/GSO 2055-1 with respect to its accompanied with Health Certificates.
slaughtering & processing practices.
• All consignments of Fresh Fruits, Fresh
• Shipping containers for Chilled and Frozen Vegetables, Agricultural Crops, and Spices from
Food Products must comply with Egypt shall be accompanied by a Test Report
SFDA.FD/GSO 323. issued by an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited
laboratory stating that the consignment has
been tested for the absence of Hepatitis A
virus.
• Importer’s Commercial Registration Certificate
CERTIFICATION
PROCESS
SFDA FOOD CONSIGNMENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME
EXPORTER AND IMPORTER GUIDELINES
SAUDI ARABIA
CERTIFICATION PROCESS
The Food Product to be exported to the FOOD CONSIGNMENT CERTIFICATION STAGES
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will undergo Exporter/Importer Contacts
conformity assessment by Intertek for its
Intertek Office
Safety and Suitability requirements using
various conformity verification techniques
such as document evaluation, inspection Application Review (RFC Form) of SFDA
and sampling, testing, container sealing etc. Food Consignment Certification Request
Consignments meeting the SFDA
CERTIFICATION requirements shall be issued with a
PROCESS Certificate of Conformity (CoC) by Intertek
Consignment Inspection, Supervision of
Container Loading , Sampling and
which can be used to clear the Container Sealing
consignments on a fast-track basis at the
Saudi Customs upon its arrival at Saudi
Testing of Samples of Food Products
Ports/Borders.
Intertek Reviews the Reports
Issuance of CoC
Document Evaluation Testing
Mandatory documents submitted along The Food products will be tested for Safety
with the RFC will be evaluated (Product and Suitability requirements to the
Registration Number (PRN), Commercial applicable SFDA.FD/SASO/GSO Standards.
Registration Certificate, Halal Slaughter The tested sample of the products must
Certificate, Halal Certificate, etc.) to verify comply to the requirements for establishing
the details of product consignment and its conformity of the consignment.
compliance to requirements.
CoC
Inspection and Sampling
Food Consignments that comply with
The Food consignment will be subject to Inspection and Testing will be issued with a
physical inspection and sampling including CoC which will help the Importer in clearing
verification of product label markings and the shipment at the Saudi Customs.
other physical requirements as per approved
SFDA.FD/SASO/GSO Standards and FEES FOR
Technical Regulations. SFDA FCCP
Sealing
Container Sealing is done using Intertek’s
seal and the shipment must not be tampered
with after sealing.
SFDA FOOD CONSIGNMENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME
EXPORTER AND IMPORTER GUIDELINES
SAUDI ARABIA
FEES
The Fee details are as follows:
Description of Service FOB Value Applicable Fees
(USD) (USD)
Inspection, withdrawal of samples 1 - 50000 550
(if applicable) and issuance of the
Certificates
50001 - 100000 650
FEES FOR 100001 - 150000 800
SFDA FCCP
150001 - 200000 1250
200001 - 500000 2500
500001 - above 3500
Overseeing the loading and sealing of the US$ 100 per 20’ (feet) container
consignments
US$ 125 per 40’ (feet) container
NOTES:
• Exporters applying for the CoC are responsible • The Certification Fees described above
for the fee payment for the Food does not include the fees for product
Consignment Certification services to testing. These fees will be separately
Intertek quoted as required to be performed by
Intertek for establishing compliance
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Intertek International Ltd.
Dubai Branch
Government and Trade
Services Middle East CONTACT
31A Zomorrodah Complex,
57 Zaa’beel St., Al Karama,
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Laila Moghrabi
+971 56 506 6438
Divya Jayavelu
+971 52 174 3982
[email protected]
Importer Government Office (IGO)
Taawuniyah Towers
North Tower 3rd Floor
King Fahed Road
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
CONTACT
Victor AlHassrouny
+966 53 577 6326 Key:
[email protected] SFDA Saudi Food and Drug Authority
FCCP Food Consignment Certification Programme
RFC Request for Certificate of Conformity
intertek.com/government
COC Certificate of Conformity
