Karachi : Mian Anjum Nisar President FPCCI while referring product certification to be required by Saudi Arabia wide its new note verbal No 210-41-1601, dated July 28, 2020, strongly urged all stakeholders in the public-private sector, Government sector, and ministry should take up this issue immediately. According to the notification from the Saudi Food and drug authority (SFDA) has issued health and hygiene conditions and requirements that must be met by food factories exporting their products to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
These mandatory conditions will enter into force on July 1, 2021, and the Saudi Authority SFDA had notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of this change on October 7, 2019. New conditions Details can be found at the SFDA website.
Saudi Arabia considered being the single largest market for food and beverage products in the Gulf, accounting for more than half of all of the region’s imports. Our food industries have a sizeable trade with Saudi Arabia.
Mian Anjum Nisar shared his grave concerns over it if the food sector industries are not able to acquire the halal certificate it will face difficulties and un-amendable losses. The industries of Pakistan especially SMEs have not been fully recovered through post-corona economic tragedy. Hike in power and natural gas prices are also forcing them into vulnerability. Any industry engaged in food sector activity without an accredited halal certification will lose the opportunity to trade with Saudi Arabia. Local food industries are obligated to acquire halal certification and to implement and maintain health and hygiene conditions as prescribed by the Saudi Food and drug authority (SFDA)
He advised industries to avail support by the “Ministry of Science & Technology Certification Incentive Program for SMEs” through which SMEs can benefit incentive grants up to 0.4 million rupees upon acquiring any halal certification. FPCCI will utilize all available resources to create awareness about certification Incentive Program and to motivate SMEs to avail it for their benefits.
Mian Anjum Nisar demands Govt. for the promulgation of Certification Incentive Program through media or other awareness campaigns and also considers other modes of incentives to industries for acquiring halal credible certification in order to support the economy.