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Media Release

Australian Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile

12 October 2001  /  MVT144/2001

Saudi Arabia Agrees to Clear Shipments of Australian Offal

Trade Minister Mark Vaile has thanked the Saudi Arabian Minister for Commerce for agreeing to allow shipments of Australian offal to enter the market.

Several shipments of Australian product were already on the water bound for Saudi Arabia when the ban on all imports of offal for health reasons was announced.

"I am pleased that Saudi authorities have agreed to clear consignments of Australian offal currently being held at the port of Jeddah," Mr Vaile said.

Mr Vaile said he had written to the Saudi Arabian Commerce Minister on 26 September to seek his agreement to clear shipments of offal from the three Australian suppliers to the Saudi Arabian market. 

"I have also asked the Minister to exempt Australia from the import ban because Australian offal is certified free from disease and safe for consumers.  Saudi Arabia has acknowledged the high quality assurance standards applied to Australian meat exports," Mr Vaile said.

"The Government, through our Embassy in Riyadh, is continuing to pursue exemption for Australia from the import ban so that this significant trade might continue."

Contact:  James Baker (Ministerial) 02 6277 7420

Local Date: Friday, 05-Dec-2008 13:52:59 EST