The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), temporarily, banned importation of fresh guava fruits from the Arab Republic of Egypt, due to proven contamination with pesticide residues, at a rate higher than the internationally recognized permitted limit. According to Undersecretary of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture Dr. Hamad bin Abdul Aziz Al-Batshan, the ban was based on results of the tests of the guava samples from the Arab Republic of Egypt, as pesticide residues found were higher than the international limit according to international food standards (CODOX), based on the joint cooperation between the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the SFDA, in relation to the implementation of the national program to monitor the residues of pesticides, in imported vegetables and fruits to the Saudi markets, to ensure the safety of agricultural products and that pesticide residues shall not exceed out of the limits permitted limits.
