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

PRODUCT COMPLIANCE
All Food Products from the following Countries of Supply

Food Products Under Food Products Under

Country of supply
Mandatory Certification Voluntary Certification

PRODUCT Brazil - All Food Products

COMPLIANCE China - All Food Products

Egypt - Frozen and processed fruits and All Other Food Products
vegetables
- Milk and Dairy Products
- Specific fresh fruits, vegetables,
agricultural crops, and spices:
Dry Cowpeas, Leafy Vegetables,
Dry Cumin, Anise
Ethiopia - All Food Products

France - All Food Products

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
Indonesia - All Food Products
Jordan All Food product consignments of Animal/ All Other Food Products
Vegetable origin (Including Fresh fruits,
fresh vegetables, Agricultural Crops and
Spices)
Kyrgyzstan - All Food Products
Lebanon - All Food Products

Malaysia - All Food Products

Morocco - All Food Products

Pakistan - All Food Products

Poland - All Food Products
Russian Federation - All Food Products

Spain - All Food Products

Sri Lanka Tea All Other Food Products

Note: Sri Lankan origin Tea supplied
directly from Sri Lanka and from other CoS.
Sudan Red Meat All Other Food Products

Taiwan - All Food Products

Thailand - All Food Products

UAE - All Food Products

USA - All Food Products

Vietnam - All Food Products

SFDA FOOD CONSIGNMENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME

EXPORTER AND IMPORTER GUIDELINES

SAUDI ARABIA

PRODUCT COMPLIANCE
Saudi Requirements Marking and Labelling Requirements
All Food Products under the Saudi Food and • Marking and Labelling information shall be
in Arabic language. Other Languages may be
Drug Authority (SFDA) shall meet the following
used in addition to the Arabic Marking and
requirements of Saudi Food Law, Standards
Labeling provided that the information
and Regulations including:
written in these languages is equivalent to
Registration with Saudi Authorities the information written in Arabic text.
PRODUCT • Importers must have an account with the • Marking and Labelling must comply with
COMPLIANCE SFDA and the Food Product must be SFDA.FD/GSO 9 requirements that stresses on
registered. This also applies to Fresh Fruits both consumer information and respect of the
and Vegetables and their Importers. Saudi Customs and Islamic values (offensive
• Importers must have a valid Commercial imagery, contents shall be avoided).
Registration Certificate which includes Food • Nutritional Labelling must comply with
Trade as a registered commercial activity.
SFDA.FD 2233 which stipulates the guidelines
• Exporters must be registered with SFDA on mandatory nutrient declaration and
under Registration of Foreign Establishment supplementary nutrition information for
• Exporters of Fresh Fruits and Fresh certain prepackaged Food products.
Vegetables are currently not mandated to
be Registered with the Saudi Food and Additional Documentation
Drugs Authority (SFDA). • Original Invoice attested by Trade Authority
of the Country of Origin
Laws, Regulations and Standards
• Certificate of Origin legalised by Chamber of
• The Food Product must meet the Standards
Commerce of the Country of Origin
and other Requirements as stipulated by the
SFDA • All slaughtered animal products and meat
• Expiration Dates of Food Products shall products must be Halal certified and shall be
be in line with the SFDA.FD standards accompanied with original Halal Slaughter
(SFDA.FD 150-1, SFDA.FD/GSO 150-2) Certificates and Halal Certificates as applicable
specified for certain products and shall • Animal product consignments shall be
comply with the minimum shelf-life accompanied with Health Certificates
requirement for its export to Saudi Arabia. • All Vegetable and Fruit product (Processed,
• Food Products intended for the Saudi Frozen, etc.) consignments from Egypt shall be
market shall be in compliance to the Halal accompanied with Health Certificates.
requirements as per SFDA.FD/GSO 993 and • All consignments of Fresh Fruits, Fresh
SFDA.FD/GSO 2055-1 with respect to its Vegetables, Agricultural Crops, and Spices from
slaughtering & processing practices. Egypt shall be accompanied by a Test Report
• Shipping containers for Chilled and Frozen issued by an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited
laboratory stating that the consignment has
Food Products must comply with
been tested for the absence of Hepatitis A
SFDA.FD/GSO 323.
virus.

Exempted Products Prohibited, Banned

under the SFDA FCCP and 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.
• For more information on the Prohibited CERTIFICATION
and Banned list of products, Exporters PROCESS
may contact the local Intertek Offices
 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
testing, container sealing etc. Consignments Food Consignment Certification Request
meeting the SFDA requirements shall be
CERTIFICATION issued with a Certificate of Conformity (CoC)
PROCESS by Intertek which can be used to clear the
Consignment Inspection, Supervision of
Container Loading , Sampling and
consignments on a fast-track basis at the Container Sealing
Saudi Customs upon its arrival at Saudi
Ports/Borders.
Testing of Samples of Food Products

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 (Commercial and Suitability requirements to the
Registration Certificate, Halal Slaughter applicable SFDA.FD/SASO/GSO Standards.
Certificate, Halal Certificate, etc.) to verify The tested sample of the products must
the details of product consignment and its comply to the requirements for establishing
compliance to requirements. conformity of the consignment.

Inspection CoC
The Food consignment will be subject to Food Consignments that comply with
physical inspection including verification Inspection and Testing will be issued with a
of product label markings and other CoC which will help the Importer in clearing
physical requirements as per approved the shipment at the Saudi Customs.
SFDA.FD/SASO/GSO Standards and
Technical Regulations.
FEES FOR
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 Government
and Trade Services
Academy Place
CONTACT
1-9 Brook Street, Brentwood
Essex, CM14 5NQ UK

+44 1277 223 400

[email protected]

Importer Government Office (IGO)

Taawuniyah Towers
North Tower 3rd Floor
King Fahed Road
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

+966 14657298 Ext. 20 CONTACT

[email protected]

Key:
intertek.com/government
SFDA Saudi Food and Drug Authority
FCCP Food Consignment Certification Programme
RFC Request for Certificate of Conformity
COC Certificate of Conformity