Cargo
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SAA Participates in Air Cargo India 2012 
Related Information
Food Import Requirements
The following documents must be accompanied with every consignment of food stuff arrives to the Port Khaled, Khorfakkan or Sharjah International Airport.
- Bill of entry or airway bill.
- Packing list
- Health certificate of the consignment issued by government or local authority of the original countries (*)
- Hala certificate (for meat/poultry), issued by Islamic organization recognized by the government of UAE. (*)
- Certificate of origin
Top- Labeling on each item must be as follows:
(1) Difficult to remove or alter
(2) Clear and easy to read
(3) The label must show and specify source of fat, enzyme, gelatin, rennet and or any animal products contain. - Labeling must not be as follows:
(1) False, misleading or deceiving
(2) Indicate that it is another food stuff
(3) With covered, altered or obliterated data
(4) Easy to remove from the container - Information on the Labels:
Please note that: (Alcohol is not permitted in any food stuff as well as pork items).
(1) The brand name
(2) The name of the food stuff
(3) The ingredients
(4) The country of origin
(5) Production and expiry dates:
(dd/mm/yy (less than six months) OR mm/yy (more than six months)
(6) Name and address of the manufacturer
(7) The names of E No. added to the product (if any)
(8) The condition of storage (if applicable)
(9) The method for preparation for consumption (if applicable)
(10) The net contents (weight or volume)
In all cases, dates on stickers are not allowed:
- All food items must show production and expiry dates.
- The hand-written dates are Not accepted.
- Dates must Not easily erased.
- Dates must be written as: dd/mm/yy for products less than six months shelf life, for more than six months shelf life could be written as mm/yy.
- Dates must be printed, imposed or ink jetted.
- Double dated are not permitted dates can not be changed or added once it arrived to the ports.
- Dates must be in Arabic or in English or both if possible.
Any of the following terms may be used to express the date of expiry but with the necessity to mention the date of production.
- Date of expiry
- Good for use until …….
- Valid for ……… from the date of production
- Use before ………..
- Sold up to ………...
- In case the production date and expiry date are written in month and year only, the validity period shall be calculated up to the end of the expiry month.
- The date mentioned on the items must be the same on the master cartons.
You can avoid rejection of consignment in the following:
- The correct shelf life on the product according to the local regulation.
- Labeling according to the local regulation.
- Any product contain any un-permitted additives or preservatives.
- Manufacturer must aware of the biological, microbiological, and chemical standards for the relevant food stuffs.
- Label information should be in Arabic or English or both.
- Production and expired dates must be imposed on the container, or ink jetted.
- Food consignment will be rejected, if 50% of the shelf life elapsed.
- When consignment of food stuff is rejected due to unfitness for human consumption because of microbial contamination. Consignment must be re-exported to the country of origin or to be destroyed under the supervision of Public Health Section of Sharjah Municipality.
- When a consignment of food stuff is rejected due to label regulation, Or for physical condition, shelf life etc.. The consignment must be re-exported to the country of origin, or to third party country NOT GCC Countries, or to be destroyed by Public Health Section of Sharjah Municipality.
As a rule of thumb, all consignments arriving through any of Sharjah ports (Khaled sea port, Khorfakkan seaport and Sharjah International airport) is physically inspected.
- Certain food stuffs such as baby food, edible oils, dairy and dairy products are subjects for laboratory analysis.
- After sampling, the consignment will not be released for marketing till the result of analysis of the consignment declared. For those consignees having warehouse in Sharjah, the consignment could be released temporarily to their warehouse and detain till the result declared. Consignment for other Emirates, consignee is requested to consult the Public Health office for the procedure of release. The result of the analysis and subsequent decision as to their fitness normally takes 3-4 working days.
- If the consignment is only examined physically, then provided that the documentation is correct, the labeling and dating complies with the legislation and food stuff is physically sound; the consignment will be released.
- The procedure from the presentation of the consignment at the inspection dock to release will not take more than one hour subject to the number of items in a consignment and their availability for inspection.
- Refer to Public Health Section of Sharjah Municipality when deciding to import food stuff FOR THE FIRST TIME
- Submit samples to food laboratory of Sharjah Municipality to ensure compliance to the specifications, label regulation, shelf life and etc.
- Be sure about the specification required in the country to which food stuff is exported.
- Obtain health certificate from Public Health Section of Sharjah Municipality for the food stuff you export.
- Destruction Certificate - Fees: Depends on the value of the goods
- Export Certificate - Fees: 100/-Dhs.
- Rejection Certificate - Fees: 100/- Dhs.
- Radiation Certificate - Fees: will be decided
- Certificate of analysis - Fees: will be decided
- De-rating Certificate - Fees: 200/- Dhs.
