JEDDAH, 29 August — Saudi ports have impounded a variety of carbonated European drinks worth SR100 million since the Commerce Ministry slapped a ban on products containing artificial hormones, Okaz newspaper reported yesterday quoting sources close to soft drinks agents.
“The containers impounded at the ports included various types of carbonated soft drinks including juice, beer and vinegar,” the sources told the Arabic daily. They said that one Saudi importer was trying to get a soft drinks container worth SR15 million released.
Soft drink agents in the Eastern Province and other parts of the country argued that the drinks they imported met international standards, adding that the continued seizure of containers would cause them heavy losses.
Saudi importers of soft drinks and chicken were trying to arrange a meeting with Dr. Hamad Al-Aufi, director of the Kingdom’s quality control laboratories, in an effort to get the ban lifted. But the sources said no agreement was reached to hold such a meeting.
The sources said the quality control laboratory was to write an official letter to King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam, telling the authorities not to release containers with products having artificial hormones. The laboratory’s decision came after tests proved they contained the banned substance.
Quality control officials said the seizure of containers carrying European meat and soft drinks would continue until the ministry lifted the ban.
Meanwhile, Hussein Al-Sheikh, director of the quality control laboratory in Dammam, told Al-Watan newspaper that his lab had released Perrier mineral water containers after withholding them for more than 20 days.
He expressed hope that the issue of confiscation of European soft drinks would be solved shortly. “We are testing samples from all containers. We wanted health certificates from the country of origin to complete procedures in accordance with the ministry’s regulations,” he said.
The remaining containers could be released next week, he said.
Saudi Arabia imposed in July a temporary ban on imports of soft drinks and chicken products from the 15 European Union (EU) member states after they were found to contain synthetic hormones harmful to humans.
The Kingdom also maintained a ban on the import of beef and cattle meat from the EU due to concerns over the mad cow disease epidemic that has swept Europe in recent years.
Commerce Minister Osama Faqeeh ordered suspension of products containing artificial hormones on the basis of health reports indicating that the products contained substances that cause cancer and impotence.
Informed sources told Arab News that no meat consignments will be cleared unless accompanied by valid certificates of conformity. Meat of animals fed on fodder mixed with hormones, fat and animal leftovers will not be allowed in, they added. The Ministry of Commerce has destroyed 300 kilos of banned frozen meat imported from a European country.
