Thai Exporters Urged To Comply With Malaysia S New Food Safety Rules

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 A Thai official says Malaysia’s new food safety rules could block Thai food exports if factories fail to meet certification standards.
Malaysia imports a variety of food items from Thailand, including fresh vegetables.PETALING JAYA: Thailand’s foreign trade ministry has urged its exporters to prepare for Malaysia’s new food safety rules to minimise the risk of having their goods rejected at Malaysia’s borders
In a report in Thai newspaper The Nation, a Thai official stated that Malaysia’s new food safety rules could block Thai food exports if factories fail to meet certification standards, a move that could potentially threaten Thai food exports worth billions of baht.
Arada Fuangthong, director-general of the foreign trade department, said Malaysia has added a new category, IIB, to the Food Regulations 1985 to raise food safety standards for imports to match those of domestic products.
Under the new rules, factories exporting food to Malaysia must have food safety certification from Malaysia’s food safety and quality programme under the health ministry.
The certification system must cover Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems, and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), said Arada.
In addition, Malaysia may inspect food production sites in Thailand in collaboration with relevant authorities.
Malaysian importers must submit documents proving compliance with these regulations or risk having their goods rejected. They could also face legal action.
She said the new regulation aligns with Malaysia’s Food Hygiene Regulations 2009, which apply to domestic producers.
Arada said her department was closely monitoring Malaysia’s implementation of the IIB category and urged Thai exporters to familiarise themselves with its requirements.
The new regulation will come into force within six months of its official announcement. However, the implementation date has yet to be set.
Arada said that while food safety is a growing concern for consumers, it presents an opportunity for Thai businesses to elevate food safety standards, boosting competitiveness and consumer trust on the global stage.
The new Malaysian regulations could also open doors to new export markets in the future, said Arada.
She said food exports are a key sector for Thailand, particularly in the Malaysian market, which is one of Thailand’s top five export markets.
According to export data for 2022 to 2024, Thailand exported around 129,000 to 138,000 tonnes of food to Malaysia annually, worth nearly 10.9-11.2 billion baht (RM1.42-RM1.46 billion) a year.
That amount accounts for 5.9%-6.7% of Thailand’s total food exports. - FMT

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