The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has imposed a temporary ban on shrimp imports from India. This suspension came after the detection of the presence of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in frozen shrimp products imported from India.
The authority said in a statement that the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture had directed to collect samples of sea products, including shrimp imported through the border crossings.
During the testing of the samples it was found that the frozen shrimp products imported from India contained WSSV and subsequently the authority decided to impose a temporary ban. The SFDA stated that the ban will continue until the Indian side provides sufficient guarantees to ensure the safety of those products exported to the Kingdom so that the WSSV does not transmit to the fisheries in Saudi Arabia.
It is noteworthy that the white spot syndrome is a viral infection of penaeid shrimp. The disease is highly lethal and contagious, killing shrimp quickly. However, it does not pose a threat to human health or food safety.