If you are a Sri Lankan tea exporter to Saudi Arabia here are some key factors to consider when exporting tea to Saudi Arabia.
When exporting tea from Sri Lanka to Saudi Arabia, you must comply with the country's import regulations and obtain the necessary certifications. Indeed, a certification body such as Cotecna will conduct an evaluation of your product and production processes to ensure compliance with Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) regulations and standards. This includes adhering to packaging and labeling requirements, as well as obtaining conformity certificate from certification approved body such as Cotecna.
Here are below the requirements to be fulfilled in order to issue the certificate of conformity for the exported tea to Saudi Arabia from Sri Lanka:
Product Specific Standard Requirements based on nature of Tea to be exported.
- BLACK TEA: SFDA.FD/GSO 978:2013
- GREEN TEA: SFDA.FD/GSO ISO 11287:2013
- FLAVORED TEA: SFDA.FD/GSO 2037:2010
General Requirements:
Along with product-specific standard requirements, the below general requirements need to be met for exporting Tea from Sri Lanka.
- SFDA.FD/GSO 9:2013 for Packaging and labeling requirements: All tea exported to Saudi Arabia must be packaged and labeled in accordance with SFDA regulations. This includes labeling requirements for product information, ingredients, country of origin and other mandatory labeling requirements.
- SFDA.FD 382 for Pesticide residues: Saudi Arabia has strict regulations regarding pesticide residues in food products, including tea. Before exporting, you must ensure that your tea meets the allowable limits for pesticide residues.
- SFDA.FD/GSO 1016:2015 for Microbiological standards: Tea exported to Saudi Arabia must also meet specific microbiological standards, including limits on bacteria, yeast, and mold.
- SFDA.FD/GSO 193:2021 for Contaminants and Toxins: Saudi Arabia has limits on the contaminants and toxins, I.e., heavy metals, that can be found in food products, including tea. Before exporting, you must ensure that your tea meets the maximum allowable limits for heavy metals, including lead, cadmium, and mercury.
In addition to these technical regulations, it is also important to note that the Saudi Arabian government periodically updates its import regulations and standards. As such, it is important to stay up-to-date on any changes or new requirements in order to ensure successful exportation of tea to Saudi Arabia.
For additional information and support regarding SFDA programme, do not hesitate to contact us.