Post by Trade Coach on Feb 12, 2017 23:54:34 GMT 1
It is no more news that regions of the world are gradually becoming part of the global economy in which some barriers to trade have been removed under the world trade organization. The volume capacity of both exported and imported commodities in and out of each country are daily increasing, agricultural products are not left out. There is no doubt that many associated diseases and dangerous pests are very much likely to travel with these commodities.
Government from various countries of the world therefore strives to prevent the likelihood of such crop pests and diseases from entering their respective countries, hence they initiate the services of quarantine to improve on their food and crops inspection. It is necessary to do this in reference to WTO regulation, which forbids quarantine restriction from being a hidden trade barrier within countries.
The growing rate of trade in agricultural commodities/products also shows that consumers world - over are in love with food items produced far from the place of their residence, but mainly from their home country. Reflecting this uncertainty, consumers are showing a growing demand in safety of food, production and storage methods, with emphasis on chemical treatment, safety and hygiene. Whereas in the past, method of monitoring and regulation were mainly national, they are now international. Farmers who desire to penetrate export market for their produce must be mindful of this development.
Safety In The Use Of Chemicals
In order to protect consumers all over the world, a global set of standards, Global G.A.P was set up under FAO. Although there is some disagreement about MRL, a basic concept in food safety is the Maximum Residue Level, which is applied to both animal and human feeds. In establishing the MRL, the first step is longtime animal experiments, followed by an analysis of human food intake.
Food Precaution
Chemical treatments are used widely in modern agricultural engagements, both when crops are growing in the field to protect crops after harvest. An important aspect of food safety is to ensure that chemical residues in the food are below MRL. All countries have established a code for MRL, and have regulations governing the production, sales and use of pesticides, with the aim of ensuring that residues in the food remain below the permitted maximum level
However, enforcing these regulations is very difficult, consumers and dealers cannot usually detect even high levels of residues in food, since they cannot be seen easily or tasted. A number of countries in the region possess sophisticated system of monitoring and inspection for food. These are expensive, hence, integrated nation-wide systems of chemical testing are found only in countries with a relatively high GDP and high consumer incomes.
The problem is most severe for crops with short storage life, such as fresh fruit and vegetables and other easily perishable food commodities. There is an urgent need for a cheap, rapid method of analyzing harvested crops to be sure they do not contain dangerous levels of pesticide residues. Some countries in of the world like Taiwan, Korea and Japan use rapid bioassay, mainly in wholesales vegetables and fruits markets. We must also keep in mind the health of farmers who become exposed to pesticides when he applies them. In many countries, especially those with tropical climates, farmers applying pesticides do not use the proper protective gear. As a matter of fact, many farmers use poor application methods, so that they inhale pesticides or splash them onto their skin.
Plant and Animal Quarantine
Bulk imports of agricultural products may bring with them weed seeds, pathogens and insect pests. Many weeds found today for example in Nigeria have been accidentally introduced from other countries, usually as seeds. Often the first outbreaks occur near either, Seaport and Airports and gradually spread out from there. A study of recent weed in Nigeria by crop research institute found a different pattern, with a new weed species suddenly occurring over a wide area. The source of the weed seeds seems to be imported feed grain, passing through the digestive system of livestock, over farmland.