New permit rules for importing fruit and vegetables
News
Anyone who brings fresh fruit and vegetables into Saudi Arabia will soon work under tighter paperwork rules. A new import licensing guide, approved by Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi, sets out the conditions. The new rules come into force after a 30-day period.
The central change is timing. An import permit must be in hand at least 24 hours before a shipment reaches the port of entry, goods may not be sent until approval is granted, and any shipment that arrives without a permit will be turned away at the importer’s own risk. Each permit is valid for 15 days from the day it is issued.
Importers need a fruit and vegetable import license from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and a commercial registration that fits the business. Produce must be free of pests on the Kingdom’s agricultural quarantine lists, and any pesticide residue must stay within the limits used by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority. An electronic phytosanitary certificate with a QR code or verification link is accepted, alongside the certificate of origin, shipping papers, and customs certificate.
Applications go through the Nama platform, and the guide caps processing at seven working days. A rejected applicant can appeal to the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture within 15 days of being told.
Source. Saudi Gazette, 3 October 2026
