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FOCUS: FFM SPS PROGRAMME
Rome, Italy: At the International Plant Protection Convention, 25 ACP countries mobilised around sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues and prioritiesOn 1–2 April, COLEACP organised an event in Rome to present its Fit For Market SPS programme (FFM SPS) to the competent authorities of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. The event provided an opportunity to discuss SPS issues affecting the ACP fruit and vegetable sector and possibilities for COLEACP support within the framework of FFM SPS, and to review the first requests for support already received by COLEACP. The event took place within the IPPC’s Commission on Phytosanitary Measures.Twenty-five ACP countries were represented through the Directorates of their National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs): Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Suriname, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zimbabwe.In the context of changes in European plant health regulations (which came into force in December 2019) and those on the use of plant protection products, NPPOs must act quickly to ensure they have in place the necessary human and financial resources and skills for all operational procedures required by these changes in European market rules to be effective. COLEACP’s FFM SPS programme was launched to assist in this.COLEACP presented to the NPPOs its intervention strategy, which is based on the four foundations of effective SPS systems: governance, operational processes, skills management and communication. FFM SPS prioritises the fruit and vegetable sector in view of the multiple SPS challenges in this sector, on domestic, regional and international markets, that are faced by all ACP countries.*FFM SPS is funded by the European Union at the request of the ACP Group of States
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Realignment of organic regulations
The EU is realigning some of the rules for organic production concerning the use of plant protection products. This has led to the withdrawal from the organic standards of some substances that are currently used. An example is calcium carbide, which has been applied as a growth regulator by many organic pineapple producers. For the time being, this can no longer be accepted by organic certification bodies on produce destined for the EU market. COLEACP is in discussions on how to address this issue as soon as possible, and will ensure that those growers affected are kept up to date on any new developments.
News
New EU Plant Health Rules Affecting Mango Exports
The new European Union directive on mango imports will be applied from 1 September 2019. To ensure that mango exports can continue in the 2020 season, producers, exporters and National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs) must act now.On 8 March COLEACP issued an information bulletin on new EU rules affecting mango imports. These rules are being introduced in response to high numbers of interceptions of mango imports due to the presence of fruit fly (non-European Tephritidae). On 21 March 2019, the new rules were officially adopted as Commission Implementing Directive (EU) 2019/523, amending Annexes I to V of the EU Plant Health Directive 2000/29/EC. The new directive came into force on 31 March, and will be applied from 1 September 2019.Under its Fit For Market and Fit For Market SPS programmes*, COLEACP is available to support NPPOs and the mango industry to develop the required dossiers (described below) and to help put the necessary actions in place.The new rules specify four possible options. Exporting countries must comply with one of these options in order for exports to the EU to be permitted.(a) The fruits must originate in a country recognised as free from Tephritidae (non-European).(b) The fruits must originate in an area established as free from Tephritidae by the exporting country’s NPPO.(c) No signs of Tephritidae have been observed at the place of production (farm/plantation) and its immediate vicinity since the beginning of the last complete mango cycle. To prove this, official inspections must be carried out at least monthly during the 3 months before harvest. None of the fruits harvested at this production site must show signs of the presence of Tephritidae in official inspections. And, finally, information on traceability must be included in the phytosanitary certificate.(d) The mango must have been subjected to an effective treatment to ensure that it is free from Tephritidae, and the treatment data must be included in the phytosanitary certificate. In addition, the treatment method must be communicated to the European Commission by the NPPO in writing beforehand.Of these options, (a) and (b) are not open to mango-exporting countries in West Africa, as fruit fly is known to be present there. Option (c) is also unlikely to be a possibility, given the widespread distribution of this pest.This leaves only option (d), meaning that mango exports will only be permitted into the EU if they have been “subjected to an effective treatment”. Before the start of the next mango season, the NPPO in each country must send a dossier to the European Commission outlining in detail the treatment that will be applied. This treatment can include post-harvest control of fruit fly, and/or a pre-harvest “systems approach” that covers control and management (IPM) of the pest in the field.To prepare this dossier, the NPPO must work with the mango industry to agree on the “effective treatment”. Once the dossier is submitted, all growers must strictly follow this agreed treatment. It is important therefore to come up with a treatment plan that is not only effective, but is also practical for both large- and small-scale growers.To submit a request for support from Fit For Market, email support@coleacp.org* Fit For Market is financed by the European Union at the request of the ACP group of states and co-financed by the Agence Française de Développement; Fit For Market SPS is financed by the European Union at the request of the ACP group of states.
News
IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO COMPETENT AUTHORITIES AND OPERATORS IN THE CAPSICUM SECTOR (CHILLIES AND PEPPERS)
A new European Union implementing directive has important consequences for exporters of chillies and peppers (Capsicum spp.) – dossiers describing the treatment applied for false codling moth on capsicum must now provide evidence of the treatment’s effectiveness. Countries that have already submitted a dossier need to send a new version both describing the treatment method and including evidence of effectiveness.Under its Fit For Market programmes, COLEACP is available to support National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs) and the capsicum industry in each country in developing dossiers that must be submitted (or resubmitted) to the EC before the end of this year. COLEACP is also available to work with the capsicum industry and national authorities to help put the necessary actions in place. Contact us at support@coleacp.orgThe European Union is in the process of overhauling its plant health regulations. In December 2019, the new EU plant health regulation will become fully operational. In the meantime, the existing rules are being enforced more rigorously, and special measures have already been introduced for a number of imported crops where there have been high numbers of notifications due to quarantine pests.The new EU plant health rules focus on crops that are a known pathway into the EU of serious pests that could damage EU agriculture or the environment. One of these is the false codling moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta). For capsicum, emergency measures were first issued in 2017 under Regulation (EU) 2017/1279 (see Annex IV Part A, Point 16.6). A new implementing directive (EU) 2019/523 was issued in March containing some important amendments to the original measures in Point 16.6. ACTION – NEW RULES Producers and NPPOs are now familiar with the new rules issued in 2017 on capsicum exports. The directive gave four possible options to supply capsicum to the EU, but only two are applicable to the capsicum sector in ACP countries. The first two require pest-free countries or zones , which in practice are not viable options for this pest.Option 3 requires a place of production designated as free from false codling moth. Some countries have adopted this option by using screen houses combined with a series of inspections by the NPPO at the production site, conducted according to procedures specified in the directive.Most exporting countries opted for Option 4, according to which capsicum imports are only permitted into the EU if they have been subjected to an effective treatment to ensure the produce is free from the pest.Before the end of 2017, NPPOs were required to submit a dossier to the EC outlining their selected option and treatment protocol.The new implementing directive issued in March (2019/523) brings in an important change to Option 4. This change will apply from September 1st 2019:Capsicum imported into the EU must “have been subjected to an effective cold treatment to ensure freedom from Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) or another effective treatment to ensure freedom from Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) and the treatment data should be indicated on the certificates referred to in Article 13(1)(ii), provided that the treatment method together with documentary evidence of its effectiveness has been communicated in advance in writing by the national plant protection organisation of the third country concerned to the Commission.”Countries that have opted for Option 4 therefore need to send a new dossier describing the treatment method, and this time providing evidence of its effectiveness.There is no change for countries that opted for Option 3.COLEACP will continue to publish updates on the details of the new rules as they become available.
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Let's meet at the #EDD19 !
Realising a dream - Sub-Saharan Africa is becoming a model for sustainable agriculture locally and globally !Join the conversation at the next European Development Days (EDDs) with people who live and work in this field on a daily basis !
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TRAINING ON HIGIENE, TRACEABILITY, CROP PROTECTION AND THE SAFE USE OF PESTICIDES
We organized a training course in Cameroon ️ on the themes of hygiene, traceability, crop protection and the safe use of pesticides. The company executives present were able to successfully test the training method through COLEACP's educational activities.
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GHANA MANGO WEEK
It is the Ghana Mango Week (https://www.ghanamangoweek.com/) in Accra. We were invited to make a presentation on the new European plant health regulation. A workshop was also organised to start the dialogue between public and private stakeholders from the mango industry in order to start the preparation of the national dossier (to be sent to the European Union) outlining the treatments applied and explaining the measures in place to ensure that exported mango is free from fruit fly. This dossier must be submitted by the Ghanaian authorities, but it is critically important that it is prepared together with industry representatives to ensure that the management plan is effective and practical for both broad- and small-scale growers. The workshop was a success and we would like to thank all participants. Besides our participation to the Ghana Mango Week, we took the opportunity to meet and visit several Ghanaian beneficiaries and stakeholders ???????? Amongst those, a working meeting with the Plant Protection & Regulatory Services Direction was organized. Orange flesh sweet potato producing companies, a growing industry in the region, were visited, as well as pineapples producing companies.
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FAO/WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION/AU INTERNATIONAL FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE IN ADDIS ABEBA
We are attending the opening of the First FAO / World Health Organization (WHO) / AU International Food Safety Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The conference has two main objectives :Identify key actions and strategies to address current and future challenges to food safety globally; strengthen commitment at the highest political level to scale up food safety in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. (Re)watch the livestream here : https://www.who.int/f…/international-food-safety-conference/
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GOOD HYGIENES PRACTICES AND TRACEABILITY PRINCIPLES
We organized a collective training aimed to technical managers on good hygiene practices and traceability principles in Nigeria. The main objective of this 4 day session was to understand and manage the principles of hygiene and traceability applying on field, transport and packhouse ????????
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Important message to the competent authorities and operators involved in the mango sector
The European Union is in the process of overhauling its plant health regulations. In December 2019, the new EU plant health regulation will become fully operational. In the meantime, the existing rules are being enforced more rigorously and special measures have already been introduced for a number of imported crops where there have been high numbers of notifications due to quarantine pests.The new EU plant health rules focus in particular on crops that are a known pathway into the EU of serious pests that could damage EU agriculture or the environment. One of these serious pests is the non-European fruit fly (Tephritidae). In recent years there have been consistently high numbers of interceptions due to the presence of this pest in mango imported from ACP countries, and this has resulted in a decision to introduce special measures to tackle the problem.In October 2018 a Draft Commission Implementing Directive was introduced, amending Annexes I to V of Council Directive 2000/29/EC, and including changes that affect mango. The changes have already been notified through the WTO, so the process is well underway. It is expected that the Directive will be formally adopted in March, and published in April, after which there will be a 5-month transition period before it comes into force.The new Directive will require action from producers, exporters and the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO). It gives four possible options, but only one of these is applicable to the mango sector in ACP countries. The first three options require pest-free countries, zones, or production units, which in practice are not viable options.According to the fourth option, when the Directive comes into force, mango imports will only be permitted into the EU if “They have been subjected to an effective treatment to ensure freedom from Tephritidae (non-European)”. Information documenting the treatment must be recorded on the plant health certificate that accompanies the consignment. Furthermore, before the designated start date, the NPPO must send a dossier to the EC outlining in detail the treatments that must be applied. This dossier can include post-harvest treatments, and/or a pre-harvest “systems approach” that covers control and management (IPM) of the pest in the field. The NPPO must work together with the mango industry to agree an action plan that will ensure all exported mango is 100% free of fruit flies. Once the action plan is agreed, all parties must follow it rigorously.COLEACP will provide more information on the details of the new rules (including the start date) as it becomes available. Under its Fit for Market programmes, COLEACP will be available to support both NPPOs and the mango industry in each country in the development of the dossiers to be submitted to the EC before the end of the year. COLEACP is also available to work with the mango industry and national authorities to help put the necessary actions in place.In the meantime, while the new rules will only enter into force after the end of the 2019 season, it is critically important for 2019 exports to be tightly managed so that there are a minimum number of interceptions due to fruit fly. If levels continue as in previous years, it is possible that the EC will take more drastic action against imports from ACP countries for the 2020 season.
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Two new approved plant protection products for tomatoes
In the fruit and vegetable sector, two new products have been authorised, only for tomatoes: one based on pyrethrins and the other on spinetoram.The following links take you to the Global List of pesticides authorised by the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) following its revision by the 43rd ordinary session of the Sahelian Pesticides Committee (PSC), as well as the list of pesticides authorised by the 43rd session of the PSC. These lists will be available on the website of the Sahel Institute at www.insah.cilss.intGlobal List of pesticides authorised by CILSS: https://drive.google.com/open?id=12SJsV5dkYHMNkFBIlqPEFhbnSLnf8K0MList of pesticides authorised by the 43rd session of the PSC: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CDDXigt76sbHjLnZ49G8bPWp29sinZhB
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Rungis Market celebrates 50 years
Rungis International Market, on the outskirts of Paris, is the largest wholesale food market in the world. At 50 years old, and in the age of the internet and e-commerce, the market has not lost any of its freshness or size: covering 234 hectares, it involves 1,200 companies, 12,500 employees and 9,500 tons of fresh produce each day.It was in February 1969 that the market in Les Halles moved from the heart of Paris to the southern suburbs, for reasons of congestion and (already) improved good food hygiene practices. Flowers, seafood, fruit, vegetables and dairy products were transferred first, and the meat pavilion followed in January 1973. This was also the year, following the entry into force of the Lomé Agreements between the EEC and the ACP States, when the organisation that would soon become COLEACP was created. Mr Libert Bou was appointed by General de Gaulle to move from Les Halles de Paris to Rungis and was the first CEO of Rungis International Market (1969–76) – and became COLEACP’s first General Delegate in 1976.Since then, every night the market has started up with the fish and shellfish of the Tide Pavillion. Fruit and vegetables are Rungis’ flagship products, with seven halls dedicated to them, accounting for 70% of the fresh produce received. Rungis is also a model for recycling its waste – the energy produced by incineration is used to heat the market and surrounding areas in winter, and green waste is transformed into compost. Rungis is managed by SEMMARIS, which also promotes the model internationally.COLEACP has also grown with Rungis, serving the needs of companies including market-based importers and the EU-ACP fruit and vegetable sector more generally. So, happy 50th birthday to Rungis and best wishes for happiness, prosperity and sustainability!