Saudi extends Thai poultry export deadline by 6 months

Saudi Arabia has extended the import window for poultry products from Thailand by a further six months for previously registered plants, ahead of the official enforcement of the new “Saudi GAP” standard in March 2026.

Dr Chaiwat Yothakol, Secretary-General of the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS), said the extension follows bilateral talks between Thai authorities and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA).

The Thai delegation, led by Ravinan Chamchalerm, Director of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards Policy Division at ACFS, and joined by the Department of Livestock Development, met with MEWA officials to prepare for the new Saudi GAP requirements. These stipulate that poultry farms exporting to Saudi Arabia must be registered and certified by MEWA.

During the talks, Thailand proposed allowing the Department of Livestock Development to carry out inspections and certifications on MEWA’s behalf. This would ease the burden on Thai exporters and streamline compliance. The proposal is currently under consideration by Saudi authorities.

Meanwhile, MEWA plans to launch an online registration system via the “Naama” platform by August 2025. This will allow poultry farms to apply directly for Saudi GAP certification.

In a positive development for Thai exporters, MEWA has also agreed to Thailand’s request to postpone the enforcement of the new standards for 11 existing factories that are already registered with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA). 

These facilities may continue exporting poultry products from farms not yet certified under Saudi GAP until March 2026. 

However, all associated farms must complete the registration process with MEWA before the enforcement deadline.

“This dialogue marks a key step in safeguarding Thailand’s poultry export market while allowing producers time to transition smoothly to the new standards,” Dr Chaiwat said. “ACFS will continue to keep the industry informed of further developments regarding the registration system.”