News

Trade updates for Congo, Kuwait

April 26, 2023

Kuwait

USAPEEC has heard reports that product that should be eligible per the requirements in the FSIS

Export Library is encountering issues when arriving to Kuwait and is being deemed ineligible

per Kuwait’s HPAI standards.

Importers have shared a notification that is dated March 20, 2023, proclaiming state level

restrictions for product originating from Michigan, Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida,

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada,

New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota,

Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Additionally, USAPEEC has seen a separate decree from the Kuwait Supreme Committee for

Food Safety issued on May 29 that indicates lifting HPAI restrictions for product from Alaska,

Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, Wisconsin,

Ohio, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, and Virginia.

Any product from those states that sailed on or after 29 May is eligible.

None of these announcements is being communicated to USDA through official channels, so the

Export Library still reflects the last officially communicated standards of county level

restrictions. USDA has reached out to its counterparts in Kuwait to confirm the current

standards and encourage that the previously agreed upon standards of county level restrictions

remain in place.

Exporters are encouraged to use extreme caution shipping product to the market and should work

closely with their importers to ensure all product will be deemed eligible by the Kuwaiti

authorities.

Republic of Congo

USAPEEC is hearing from the Congolese trade that a certificate of conformity will be required

for all product shipped after July 4 to the Republic of Congo. The certificate of conformity will

be required to come from the private inspection company, Cotecna.

USAPEEC is not aware of an official government announcement at this time, but Cotecna has

published an updated exporter guide for the Republic of Congo – Brazzaville stating that a

certificate of conformity will be mandatory as of July 4.

Last year, the Congolese government did issue an announcement stating that poultry imports will

require a certificate of conformity through Cotecna in order to ship to Pointe-Noire and

Brazzaville. At that time, the Congolese trade was able to push back and the policy was never

implemented.

USAPEEC has requested USDA to push back on this requirement, especially since no official

government notification appears to have been issued. However, exporters should work closely

with their importers to ensure all product will meet the requirements of the Republic of Congo