Saudi Arabia recently suspended poultry imports from three key trading partners, making it unclear how the country will meet domestic poultry consumption demand, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a June 21 report. FAS said Saudi Arabia suspended imports from 11 Brazilian poultry plants in May and placed restrictions on imports from France and Ukraine this month, moves that will have “serious repercussions on the Saudi import poultry market.” U.S. poultry exporters can’t ship to Saudi Arabia because the country imposes a “strict ban” against “stunning during the poultry slaughtering process.”

Ghana recently introduced an e-payment portal to allow traders to do business “more conveniently” with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported June 22. All terminal charges can be paid through the new portal 24 hours a day, which officials described as “very secure,” the report said. The portal will help traders save time and money and reduce “the problem of fake GPHA invoices being used to defraud port clients,” HKTDC said.

Starting July 1, Egypt will ban imported cargo that is not registered on its new cargo information system, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported June 18. The country is requiring importers to register with the Advance Cargo Information system, which will help traders and customs officials speed up clearance procedures. After they are registered, importers must send their shipping and cargo data and documents, including packing lists and invoices, before they can ship cargo.

Kenya recently launched a single window system for all arrivals and departures through the Port of Mombasa, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported June 17. As of June 2, all licensing shipping lines and agents had to begin using the new Kenya Maritime Single Window System, which allows for the “one‑off submission” of pre‑arrival and pre‑departure declarations to government agencies at Mombasa port, HKTDC said. The system is expected to help traders “substantially” reduce times loading and unloading cargo, decrease port congestion and lead to savings on demurrage charges by “accelerating cargo throughput.”

U.S. exporters should see a “significant increase” in shipments of “high-value food products” to Saudi Arabia this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a report released June 11. USDA said Saudi Arabia will import more due to its expanding retail sector and a “return to normal operations” within its food service sector. U.S. food exports are well positioned to increase market share because they are “generally viewed as a higher-quality product.” U.S. food exports to Saudi Arabia dropped by 5% in 2020, mainly due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, USDA said.

Iraq recently issued several measures to impose restrictions on the transshipment of wheat and barley and to limit the import of crops from “unknown sources,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a June 8 report. The government is blocking privately imported wheat and barley “from all border outlets until further notice,” USDA said, but will still allow imports to the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture-owned Mesopotamia General Seed Co. and the Iraqi Seed Production Co. The restrictions are an effort to “limit the entry of crops from unknown sources, unspecified harvest seasons, unclear consumption suitability” and to “deter gray market trade from smugglers and speculative traders.”

Tanzania recently issued a waiver for import duties on “machines and materials used for leather processing,” the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported June 7. The country hopes the waiver encourages local leather processing and wants to boost its domestic textile and apparel industries. The government, which has also recently eliminated more than 200 taxes and fees to help domestic producers, also plans to soon introduce trade legislation to “regulate the mass importation of goods” and minimize “market distortions” caused by imports of cheaper, subsidized products from abroad, HKTDC said.

Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique recently announced restrictions on poultry imports from South Africa due to an avian influenza outbreak in that country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a report released May 20. The outbreaks, which occurred in April and May, affected commercial chicken-layer farms in South Africa’s Gauteng Province, North West Province and Western Cape. Botswana and Mozambique still allow exports of poultry and poultry raw products from “registered compartments” within South Africa that comply with certain monthly surveillance requirements. USDA said Lesotho and Hong Kong also have announced some restrictions on poultry imports from South Africa’s Gauteng Province.

Morocco recently placed tariffs on common and durum wheat imports to protect local producers from foreign competition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service reported May 20. Morocco placed a 135% duty on common wheat on May 15, and will impose a 170% duty on durum wheat starting June 1, USDA said. Both types of wheat were previously not subject to duties.

Dubai Customs recently issued guidance related to electronic clearances for imported consumer goods worth less than about $2,700, KPMG reported May 18. The guidance, which took effect May 16, provides information on the electronic clearance platform available for those imports. The platform will allow importers to benefit from automatic processing of customs declarations, certain exemptions from customs duties and fees, a 60-day window to amend or cancel a declaration and more. The guidance applies to both domestic United Arab Emirates companies and those operating in free zones, KPMG said.