Illegal import of agro commodities: Ministry seeks support of LEAs and Customs

The Department of Plant Protection, Ministry of National Food Security and Research has sought the support from law enforcement agencies and Pakistan Customs to curb the illegal import of agro commodities from Iran and Afghanistan.
Sources told Business Recorder on Friday that a itax number of fruits and vegetables are being imported from Iran and Afghanistan without phytosanitary certificate, which is mandatory for import of agro commodities. Illegal import of agro commodities from neighboring countries through Taftan and Turbat entry/exit points is a clear violation of Pakistan plant quarantine Act. 1976, they added.
As per the law, the Department of Plant Protection (DPP), Ministry of National Food Security and Research is responsible to regulate import and export of agricultural commodities with respect to phytosanitary measures and to ensure trans-boundary movements of agricultural commodities subject to phytosanitary measures and certification as per Pakistan Plant Quarantine Act 1976 and Rules 1967.
Sources said the Department of Plant Protection, Ministry of National Food, has written a letter to Chief Secretary Government of Balochistan for taking measurers to regularize the import of agro commodities through Taftan and Turbat.
According to the letter, recently most of the trade activities between Pakistan and Iran have been routed through Taftan and Turbat border areas and it has been brought to notice that 95 percent of these commodities are plant or plant origin, which needs mandatory phytosanitary inspection & certification.
There are two causes of phytosanitary violations at Taftan and Turbat border, ie, the negligence/disregard of phytosanitary compliance by Pakistan Custom and secondly the ineffective implementation of Pakistan Plant Quarantine Act 1976 in the jurisdiction of Balochistan.
If the phytosanitary regulations are not complied with the country is predisposed to being attacked by pests like the Mediterranean fruit fly and many other pests and diseases associated with unprocessed food/raw plant material on apple, grapes and pomegranate etc. These aforementioned pests are quarantine pest and potential threats for domestic fruits, the letter said.
According to letter, for the reason of security concerns in Taftan and Chaman point of entry and exit areas of Balochistan, the Department of Plant Protection is facing difficulties to regulate import arid export of agricultural commodities and due to this reason, scores of commodities without phytosanitary measures and phytosanitary certification are being entered in Pakistan from Iran, Afghanistan and other middle eastern countries. Thus, their arc posing high bio-security risk to our domestic agriculture arid environment for the reason, many insect and pests and diseases may be associated with them and resultantly, day by day, our international trading partners seems hesitant to import agricultural commodities front Pakistan due to growing and addition of pest issue Pakistan.
They have informed that the Department or Plant Protection recently posted a technical authorized officer at Taftan entry/exit point to prevent entry and intercept agricultural commodities intend to enter without phytosanitary measurers and phytosanitary certificates.
Keeping in view of the foregoing situation, department has requested Chief Secretary Balochistan that he may personally look into the matter and issue directive to the Frontier Corps, Levies and Custom Department to ensure phytosanitary documents clearance before their entry in Pakistan territory.
The, officer of Department of Plant Protection, Ministry of National Food Security and Research has, deputed at Taftan border to coordinate with them for phytosanitary inspection and documents verification. The Department of Plant Protection, government of Pakistan will assist in training of their staff in Plant Quarantine and SPS measures. Despite dearth of staff the Department of Plant Protection is intending to establish a new Plant Quarantine Office at Taftan and Chaman border to implement the Plant Quarantine under Pakistan Plant Quarantine Act 1976, the letter said.
Being an agricultural-based economy, the agricultural productivity in Pakistan is linked directly or indirectly to overall economic performance of the country.
Like the other vigilant nations of the world Pakistan is also Signatory to the WTO agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures to protect human, animal and plant life.