Kenya stops 11 firms from exporting to Europe
What you need to know:
- The move affects between 5,000 to 6,000 farmers who have to meet the set standards to be allowed to export to the European Union.
- The EU wrote to the Kenyan government complaining about higher-than-recommended pesticide residue traceable in the products.
The government has banned 11 firms from exporting horticulture to Europe for at least a month as it seeks to avert a total ban from the European market.
Kenya has been given up to the end of September to reduce the amount of pesticides traceable in the horticulture products or face trade restrictions.
The move affects between 5,000 to 6,000 farmers who have to meet the set standards to be allowed to export to the European Union. The names of the affected firms have not been disclosed.
In recent weeks, the government has put horticulture exporting firms under a more stringent monitoring regime to restrict the use of the unwanted pesticides.
COMPULSORY LEAVE
The disclosure comes after Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services managing director James Onsando was sent on compulsory leave to allow investigation into the growing restrictions on agricultural exports to the EU.
The firms are also required to employ trained staff, while the cancellation of licences for those who violate the guidelines set out by the regulator has been intensified.
The EU wrote to the Kenyan government complaining about higher-than-recommended pesticide residue traceable in the products.
“The Food and Veterinary office of EU Health and Consumers Directorate-Gneral has conducted three audits to your country in 2007, 2009, 2013. Each of these found significant shortcomings, and despite the submissions of satisfactory action plans interceptions continue at a high level,” the EU said.
The situation worsened after harmful micro-organisms were detected in mangoes earlier this year.
