Saudi Arabia has granted a six-month extension to Thai poultry exporters, allowing previously registered processing plants to continue shipments until March 2026.

The decision was reached following bilateral discussions between Thai authorities and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA).

The extension applies to eleven Thai factories currently registered with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA).

These facilities are permitted to export poultry products from farms that have not yet been certified under the forthcoming Saudi Good Agricultural Practices (Saudi GAP) requirements.

The Saudi GAP standard, scheduled for full enforcement in March 2026, mandates that all poultry farms supplying the Saudi market must be registered and certified by MEWA.

To facilitate compliance, Thailand has proposed that its Department of Livestock Development be authorised to conduct inspections and certifications on behalf of MEWA.

This proposal is under review by Saudi officials.

In preparation for the new certification system, MEWA announced plans to launch the "Naama" online platform by August 2025.

The system will allow poultry farms to apply directly for Saudi GAP certification.

The Thai delegation involved in the negotiations included representatives from the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS) and the Department of Livestock Development.

The meetings focused on technical cooperation and measures to ensure a smooth transition to the updated export regulations.

All farms associated with the extended export facilities must complete the MEWA registration process before the March 2026 enforcement deadline.

Thai authorities have pledged to provide ongoing updates to the industry regarding certification and regulatory developments.