Quarantine Service in Bangladesh

Md. Hafizur Rahman

Deputy Director Plant Quarantine Station

Hazrat Shahjalal Int’l Airport,Dhaka 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.

Area 147570 Square Km Boundaries North-India (West Bengal & Meghalaya), West-India (West Bengal), East-India (Tripura & Assam, Myanmar), South-Bay of Bengal Climactic Variations The climate of Bangladesh is sub-tropical to tropical monsoon marked by sweltering temperature and high humidity. Bangladesh has mainly four seasons: Summer (Mar-May), Area 147570 Square Km Boundaries North-India (West Bengal & Meghalaya), West-India (West Bengal), East-India (Tripura & Assam, Myanmar), South-Bay of Bengal Climactic Variations The climate of Bangladesh is sub-tropical to tropical monsoon marked by sweltering temperature and high humidity. Bangladesh has mainly four seasons: Summer (Mar-May), Monsoon (Jun-Sep), Autumn (Oct-Nov) and Winter (Dec-Feb) Rainfall 1194 mm to 3445 mm (average during monsoon June-August) Humidity

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.

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

Quarantine Station in Bangladesh.

• Land port-23 • Sea port-3 • Airport-3 • River port-1 • I C D-1 • I C T-1 • Total-32

Major Markets Destinations of Vegetables and Fruits

42%

16%

9%

9%

7%

5%

4%8%

UKSAKuwaitQatarUAEBahhrainItaliOthers

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 & 2nd 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 and Fruit flies. Ground nut, chick pea for Khapra beetle. Mustard oil/Pickle for Urucic 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

5 Years Export Report

Name of Products 2012 2013 2014 2015

Name of Products

Vegetables 11,000 mt 7000 mt 11200 mt 35000 mt

Zara Lemon 120 mt 240 mt 253 mt 1350 mt Fruits

1.Some strategic Agricultural export products.

• Vesetables-All kinds of gourds(Snake gourd, bottle gourd,sweet gourd,ash gourd,bitter gourd, spong gourd,Pointed gourd etc.)

Leafy vegetables, Aroid & Taro, Green Papya, Plantain etc.

• Fruits-Mango,Jackfruit,Guava,Jujubee,Olive, Hog palm,Papya,Citrus,Burmese grap etc.

2.a)Main Destination Market

• EU- UK,Germany, France, Italy, Greece etc

• Middle East- KSA, UAE, Quait, Qatar, Oman

etc. • Others- Srilanka, Malayasia, Singapore etc.

2.b)Other Potential Markets

• Russia for Potato • Japan & Korea for Mango • Indonsia for Potato • Twaian for Betel leaf

3.Key Challenges in export agricultural products to International Markets

• Lack of Export Facilities • Lack of Experts • Lack of Phytosanitary Meassure • Lack of infra structure • Lack Digonostic Facility

4.What can be done to support for export these products

• Incrase export Facilities • Quarantine Peoples should be expertise by

trainning home and abroad. • Increase Phytosanitary capacity • Increase Infrastructure for export of good

quality and pest free agricultural products. • Increase Laboratory facilities.

5.Which are the relevant standards, food quality, food safety institutional

bodies.

• Bangladesh Stadard and Testing Institute(BSTI)

• Food Safety Laboratory

6.Specify some ways that Public and Private sectors can work together to

improve export situation

• Bangladesh Government established a new theme named Public Private Partnership(PPP)