After Solar Tariffs Setback, Indian Exporters Worry About Saudi’s Poultry Ban; Stocks Trade in Red

After the solar equipment tariff setback from the United States, Indian exporters have another reason to worry. Saudi Arabia has implemented a complete ban on poultry and table egg imports from 40 countries, including India.

The decision has been taken by the country’s food and drug authority to protect consumers from avian influenza and Newcastle disease viruses.

Along with the blanket ban on 40 countries, partial restrictions have also been imposed on specific regions in 16 other countries.

This has led to a decline in the stocks of companies engaged in the poultry industry. While the stock of Venky's (India) opened higher at Rs 1,365.50 on Thursday, it fell to around Rs 1,353 during the day’s trade. The stock of SKM Egg Products Exports (India) weakened to Rs 168.15 apiece from the day’s high of Rs 170.60. Similarly, shares of HMA Agro Industries declined over 2.2 percent.

According to industry forum Poultry India, the country’s poultry exports more than doubled to about $149 million during the first six months of FY26 on robust demand for eggs from the Middle East.

Exports of poultry products such as eggs and egg products stood at $71.16 million in the same period last year, it said.

Saudi Arabia’s food and drug authority said that the list of affected countries is subject to review in line with global health developments and epidemiological updates.

It said that some of the import restrictions have been in place since 2004, while others have been introduced gradually over the years based on risk assessments and international reports on animal diseases, particularly outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Apart from India, countries facing a complete ban include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Djibouti, South Africa, China, Iraq, Ghana, Palestine, Vietnam, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Cameroon, South Korea, North Korea, Laos, Libya, Myanmar, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Hong Kong, Japan, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Serbia, Slovenia, Côte d’Ivoire and Montenegro.

Partial restrictions apply to specific states or cities in Australia, the United States, Italy, Belgium, Bhutan, Poland, Togo, Denmark, Romania, Zimbabwe, France, the Philippines, Canada, Malaysia, Austria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.