Public Support in the Production and
Marketing System in Agriculture with
Special Focus on Quarantine System
Iswar Prasad Rijal
Programme Chief
National Plant Quarantine Program
Harihar Bhawan, Lalitpur.
2011
Existing Situation of Quarantine in
Nepal
1965 : Membership of APPPC
: establishment of Central Plant Quarantine Unit in Plant Pathology Division
1972 : Plant Protection Act
1974 : Plant Protection Regulation
: Involvement in Phytosanitary Measures
: Prohibited Importation of 16 different crops from abroad
: Opened 7 quarantine Checkposts
Existing Situation of Quarantine in Nepal
1992 : Plant Quarantine unit shifted from NARC to DOA
2004 : Nepal became 147th member of WTO
: National Plant Quarantine Programme (NPQP) with 5 RPQO's, 8 PQCP's and
2 PQSCP's
2005 : WTO section of ABPSD (MOAC) designated as NAA of SPS
Existing Situation of Quarantine in Nepal
2006 : WTO(FAO) launched Standard and Trade Development Facility (STDF) Project
: > 80 officials trained in 8 different modules of SPS aspects
: Member of IPPC
2007 : New Plant Protection Act Gazetted and notified
2010 : New Plant Protection Regulation Gazetted and notified
: Quarantine certificates modeled as per specification of IPPC and legal provisions
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Existing Situation of Quarantine in Nepal
: Issuing of entry permit and Phytoosanitary certificates to the importers and exporters respectively in progress
2011 : Plant Quarantine pests of 13 major crops has been already prepared
:2 fumigation chambers and one Post entry quarantine facility going to be established by 2012
: Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and
guidelines in internal quarantine in major exportable commodities being finalized
: NPQP can perform enclosure fumigation of cereals and pulses ready to export
Existing Situation of Quarantine in Nepal (bilateral issues with
India)
Lack of due authority in border check-points from Indian side
(Posting of personnel with the EP (Entry Permit) and
Phytosanitary Certificate (PC) issuing authority
Selective entry points for Nepalese commodities in India-Nepal
border
Free road access to third country (Bhutan, Bangladesh) via
India
Major Pitfalls
Import led revenue collection rather than export led benefits
Whim based export rather than sustainability
Issues and Challenges of Quarantine Administration in Nepal
:Weak infrastructures
: Challenges to meet the SPS requirements of importing countries
: Losses due to SPS issues (Lets see example…)
:Poor awareness of technical standards among producers and exporters
: Lack of technical standards
: Lack of well trained human resource in laboratory procedures, pest risk analysis, appropriate fumigation
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Examples of SPS issues affecting Nepalese Agro-food Exports
Product Country
banning
Reason for ban Period Approx. Value
of export lost
Ginger India Plant quarantine
issues and trade
policy
Disruption
occurred in 2004
NRs. 1.6 billion
Lentils India Quality tests and
fumigation
requirements
For approx. one
year in 2003/04
NRs. 100 million
Source: MoCS
Solutions/Suggestions/Recommendations
Construction of multipurpose fumigation chambers and post entry quarantine facilities well equipped quarantine laboratories in appropriate locations
International harmonization /equivalence/accreditation of SPS measures among SAARC countries
Mass campaign of SPS training among producers and exporters
Preparation of National Standards based on International standards for Phytosanitary measures
Identify, declare and notify pest free area, area/site of low pest/disease prevalence, endangered area and adapt Phytosanitary measures accordingly
Way Forward
Strengthening Plant Quarantine Institutions (HRD and Laboratories)
Infrastructural development (offices, fumigation chambers and PEQF)
Practical implementation of various provisions
Third party certification
Develop traceability capability at grass root levels
Support to industries that substitute imports and promote exports
Practical implementation of Agribusiness promotion policy 2063
contd......
Demarcation of special production zone (Commercial, Organic, Export oriented)
Special Support (Tax exemption, subsidy in electricity, capital investment support, technical support etc.)to the commercial producers of export oriented products
Market information
Linkages with potential international markets
Market study, market intelligence
Information flow to Nepalese exporters, producers,traders, direct intervention in demand and market
Participation of traders/exporters in international trade fair/expos
Tax refund in case of export
Transparency and reduce administrative complications
Oppurtunities from free economic policy and globalization
SAARC must go to regionalization/regional co-operation rather than
individualism
Must revisit SAARC constitution accordingly
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Thank you
