Phytosanitary Status of Bangladesh Md Ayub Hossain Consultant

Phytosanitary Status of Bangladesh Md. Ayub Hossain Consultant, SPCB Project, DAE

What is Plant Quarantine ? Plant Quarantine" means the effort to prevent entry, establishment or spread of a foreign pest in the country through legal restriction on the movement of plant and plant products, "

Why is Plant Quarantine ? - Our lives & well-being are based on plant growth and cultivation - Invasive alien species greatly endanger our food production, medication etc. - Expanding global trade, tourism & climate change also increase the dangers - The impact of invasive alien species has serious implications for the economy and ecology.

Plant Quarantine Service § Quarantine Service Started from 14 th century § In 1799 USA introduced Quarantine Act. § In 1825 UK promulgated Quarantine Act. § In 1914 British Indian Governor General Promulgated the “Destructive Insects and Pest Act” § In 1951 FAO started International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)

Plant Quarantine Service § In 1966 Pakistan endorsed ‘Destructive Insects and Pests Rules’ § In 1974 Bangladesh became the member of IPPC § In 1989 Bangladesh amended the Destructive Insects and Pests Rules’ 1966 and the rules is still on § ‘Plant Quarantine Act-2011’ has been passed in 2011 § New Rules yet to be formulated.

What is Phytosanitary ? Phyto means ‘Plant’ and Sanitary means ‘health’ so, Phytosanitary indicates concerning the health of plants; especially the freedom from pest which require quarantine. -Phytosanitary Measures means any legislation, regulation or official procedure having the purpose to prevent the introduction and/or spread of quarantine pests.

Phytosanitary cont’d • Phytosanitary procedure: Any official method for implementing phytosanitary measures including the performance of inspections, tests, surveillance or treatments in connection with regulated pests. • Phytosanitary certification: Use of phytosanitary procedures leading to the issue of a phytosanitary certificate.

IPPC (International Plant Protection Convention) The IPPC (1952) was first adopted by the FAO Conference at its sixth session in December 1951 by Resolution 85, and came into force in April 1952. -With the purpose of securing common and effective action to prevent the spread and introduction of pests of plants and plant products, and to promote appropriate measures for their control, the contracting parties undertake to adopt the legislative, technical and administrative measures specified in this Convention (IPPC) and in supplementary agreements

NPPO (National Plant Protection Organization) § Each contracting party shall make provision, to the best of its ability, for an official national plant protection organization with the main responsibilities set out in this Article. § The issuance of certificates relating to the phytosanitary regulations of the importing contracting party for consignments of plants, plant products and other regulated articles;

NPPO of Bangladesh The Plant Quarantine activities of the country at national level are under the Director of Plant Quarantine Wing of the Department of Agricultural Extension under the Ministry of Agriculture. He is serving as NPPO of Bangladesh

Organizational Strength § Recently Plant Quarantine Wing of DAE has been formed with headed by Director with 314 personnel. § We have 30 plant quarantine stations. Among these stations: -Land border check post 23, International air port-3, Sea port-2, River port-1, Inland container depot (Railway)-1 § Besides these PQ centers, the head quarter at Dhaka carry out the regulatory functions and it also serves as a PQ station.

Function Of Plant Quarantine Wing § Enforcement of “Destructive Insects and Pests Rules, 1966 (Plant Quarantine) amended up to July, 1989”. § Incorporate new Rules and Policies on Plant Quarantine. § Promote Plant Quarantine Activities at the Check Posts of the Entry Points.

§ Issuance of Phytosanitary Certificate for export of agricultural products. § Issuance of Import Permit for importing Agricultural Products. § Issuance of Release Order of Plant Commodities. § Recording & Interception of Pests and Diseases.

Main Import (Plant & Plant Products) § § § § Rice, Wheat, Maize Raw cotton Fresh fruits Pulses Oil seeds Spices Timbers Vegetables

Main Export (Plant & Plant Products) § Jute and Jute products § Tea § Tobacco § Vegetables , Fruits and Potato § Frozen vegetables, fruits § Food stuffs and Food items § Handicrafts, bamboo basket § Aromatic and fine rice and spices

Challenges § Lack of awareness about plant quarantine system among different stakeholders ( at policy level, high officials, businessman and mass people level) § There is a clear structure and division of responsibilities within the plant health service but the NPPO is an independent body to carry out its tasks effectively in line with the international standard. § The financial resources for the NPPO are provided from the state budget. The NPPO is under the Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension under the Ministry of Agriculture.

Export Supply Chain Management § Absence of direct linkage § Procure through middlemen / farmers § Transportation in bus top or loaded truck § Lack of supervised production, poor PHH & almost absence of cool chain management § Graded & packed in the sheds of exporter § Traditional exporters packed in bamboo baskets & 2 nd hand paper cartons. No traceability system in place. § Acute shortage of air cargo space

Constraints of exportation to EU § Exporters may be limited by various ways - Potato is ban item to EU Markets -Threats of additional restriction Example: Citrus for canker Vegetable for Thrips Ground nut, chick pea for Khapra beetle. Mustard oil/Pickle for Urecic Acid Chanatur for Aflatoxin.

Citrus Export (Constraints) Additional declarations wanted by defra - The fruits shall be free from peduncle and leaves and the packaging shall bear an origin mark -The fruits shall be free from Cercopora angolensis and Guignardia citricarpa -Official control of Xanthomonas campestris (Bacterial canker) - official monthly inspection during 3 months prior to harvesting - Fruits should be treated with sodium orthophenyl- phenate (Article- 15 of EU directives)

Requirements in the EU markets § Produce may be subject to random testing at point of entry, MRLs or other chemical contaminants; § Detailed information and records on primary production and post-harvest handling to satisfy the requirements specified under EC/852/2004 and EC/2073/2005 for ensuring food safety of products of non-animal origin

Measures taken for Vegetable & Citrus Exportation § National & District committee formed for acceleration of citrus & vegetable exportation comprises by DAE, BARI, BADC, Hortex Foundation and Exporters representatives § District committee has started their work after receiving the list of producers from Exporters

§ Farm visit § Assessing garden/farm § Giving advice according to EU Directives § Will certify production the disease free § National committee is monitoring the overall activities.

Action Plan Taken to Reduce Interception § Production through Contract Farming § Reduction of Fraudulent certificate § Enhancement of inspection facilities § Procurement of Laboratory Equipment § Pest Listing and PRA § Construction of Central packaging house

Background of SPCB Project Bangladesh successfully entered in the highly competitive international export market. We are earning a significant amount of valuable foreign currency through exporting 12 -14 lakhs metric tons of agricultural products. To expedite safe and successful trade in developed and developing world we must meet the requirements of the importing country.

As a signatory to the IPPC we have to follow the ISPMs adopted by the IPPC for international trade. In order to comply with the WTO-SPS agreement we must update our phytosanitary capacity on a regular basis. To ascertain the phytosanitary task we need high degree of quality control equipment's, trained manpower and necessary laboratory facilities in the field of quality control (Plant Quarantine). .

Many problems we are facing for exporting citrus and some vegetables to EU that we can not comply with the EU phytosanitary regulations. If we can comply with the International phytosanitary regulations, our agro-products export will be more than doubled. Therefore, our farmers will be benefitted to get fair price and total production will be increased. .

Main Objective of SPCB Project § “Strengthening phytosanitary capacity in Bangladesh project” of DAE going on with following objectives § Upgrading 16 Quarantine laboratory § Capacity development personnel for relevant § Established central packing house at Dhaka.

§ Conducting PRA & Listing of Pests for 8 crops § Establishment of 7 Post entry quarantine centers § Construction of 6 office-laboratory building and repair maintenance of 7 existing office-laboratory § Introduce system. e-phytosanitary certification

Activities done by Project § Trained 1200 quarantine related personnel § Organize 8 awareness building workshop on Phytosanitary measures § 1(one) PRA(Pest Risk Analysis) already done & 3(Three) PRA of Wheat, Potato & Mango is in progress § Repair maintenance & extension of 7 Office cum laboratory building going on § Construction of 4 New office cum laboratory building is in progress

§ Central packaging house construction process is going on § Procurement of Laboratory equipment of existing laboratory is going on § Quick testing kits of Potato Brown rot already been collected and kits of Bacterial canker of citrus and salmonella of Betel leaf is coming soon for quick testing at Airport. § Handy microscope, Scanner, GCMS, Soft X-ray machine procuring process is under way for safe exportation & importation of Plant & Plant Products.

Conclusion § To increase successful export capacity building in addressed areas is of prime interest. § § To be practical, it is, therefore necessary to try to comply with EU Directives, international SPS rules and regulations, both mandatory and voluntary for improving Citrus , fresh Vegetables & other Plant and plant products export and import.

§ To expedite exportation and Safe food production through IPM approach created a great enthusiasm among the producers and consumers under the direct and positive guidance of the different Government agencies like DAE. Government is also considering about GAP for exportable vegetables and fruits.

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