JEDDAH, 21 April — The Ministry of Commerce is investigating several importers for allegedly sidestepping government measures to prevent entry of contaminated meat products into the domestic markets, according to informed sources. The ministry has banned import of meat and meat products from Europe, Africa and several Asian countries where widespread incidence of foot-and-mouth and mad cow diseases have been reported.
Large quantities of the banned products have been seized at several entry points to the Kingdom. According to Commerce Ministry sources, importers face cancellation of their commercial registration and import licenses if their involvement in the illegal practice is proved.
The importers reportedly made changes in their consignments and packed them with forged labels and documents to show that the products came from countries not on the ban list. Incriminating evidence was found against the businessmen by Saudi officials at the entry points, the sources said.
The concerned agencies discovered that Saudi businessmen colluded with their counterparts from Arab and Asian countries in procuring meat from banned sources and tampering with documents to mislead the authorities.
Official grew suspicious when they noticed an unusual rise in meat imports from countries, which never exported or re-exported meat to the Kingdom.
As a precautionary measure to make Saudi markets free of contaminated meat after reports about rapid spread of animal diseases in Europe, the Commerce Ministry banned import of meat and dairy products from the region. The ban included several British cosmetics and medications containing animal fat. Medicines for veterinary use are also banned.
“These products may jeopardize Saudi markets since they are likely to cause diseases,” the ministry said.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Water recenty said the foot-and-mouth situation had “stabilized” in 80 percent of the sites where infected animals had been detected.
Nearly 4,000 sheep, goat and cattle in 67 sites were confirmed to have been infected with the disease. Some 170,000 animals, mostly cows in dairy farms, are being vaccinated as part of a nationwide campaign. The outbreak has reportedly cost the Saudi meat industry SR500 million.
The Kingdom banned beef imports from the European Union in response to the mad cow scare. It has also endured the Rift Valley Fever that killed more than 50 people in the country last year.
The Kingdom imports about two-thirds of its beef requirements, estimated at 100,000 tons in 1999. Foot-and-mouth disease is not harmful to humans but can cause severe weight loss in livestock.
