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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) regulations allow the importation of biotech plant products, but they are required to be labeled if they contain more than one percent genetically engineered (GE) plant ingredients. As a result, many retail packaged food importers do not import biotech foods due to concerns that biotech labeling could jeopardize their image.

Sri Lanka’s agricultural biotechnology policies remain unchanged. Over the past year, there has been no progress in the approval of its draft Biosafety Act, which establishes a system to protect biodiversity, the environment and human, plant and animal health while minimizing the risks of biotechnology.

Total Saudi wheat imports for 2024/25 are forecast to reach 4.25 MMT, an increase of 2 percent over marketing year (MY) 2023/24.

This report provides information to U.S. exporters of agricultural and related products on how to do business with the retail food sector in Panama. Important supermarket, hypermarket, and independent specialty food store chains dominates the grocery sector.

This FAIRS report lists the export certificates required for food and agricultural products shipped to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka). An export certificate matrix is included in this report.

The Food Act No. 26 of 1980, Animal Feed Act No. 15 of 1986, Plant Protection Act No. 35 of 1999, and Import and Export Control Act No. 1 of 1969 are the main laws that govern food imports into Sri Lanka. Import regulation are in the hands of several state institutions, making the process complicated and time-consuming.

The major export certificates required by Saudi Arabia’s regulatory and import control agencies are included in this Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) - Certificates Report. These certificates are required for the importation of food and agricultural products into the Kingdom. Information in this report supplements the FAIRS Annual Country Report.

Saudi Arabia has published numerous regulations and standards over the years. While many of these regulations (both mandatory and voluntary) were notified to the World Trade Organization (WTO), most were immediately implemented making it difficult for U.S. exporters to adjust or comment.

Saudi Arabia is a major market ($1.55 billion) for U.S. food and agricultural products, and there are plenty of opportunities to export a wide range of new-to-market U.S. food products.

Changes to Panama's import requirements reflected in this report are for beef, pork, poultry, dairy products, and prior notifications of imported food. A new law establishes the inspections and food safety regulations for food products.

Panama recognizes the certificates and standards of the U.S. regulatory and sanitary inspection system, based on the United States – Panama Agreement regarding certain sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical standards affecting trade in agricultural products, of December 20, 2006, simplifying requirements for the importation of U.S. food and feed products.

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka’s (Sri Lanka) Ministry of Health extended the implementation effective date of the Food (Color Coding for Sugar Levels-Liquids) Regulations (2022) from January 1, 2024 to January 1, 2025.