Phytosanitary Regulatory Services in
South Africa
Marianna Theyse
Manager: International Plant Health Standards
Directorate Plant Health
Scope of presentation
1. Introduction
2. WTO SPS Agreement
3. International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)
4. National PH Regulatory Services = National Plant Protection
Organisation of South Africa (NPPOZA)
5. Market Access and Maintenance
6. SA challenges relating to international trade
7. Conclusion
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Introduction
SA is an active trader in the global import/export market of agric product
Trading of plants & plant products = risk of pests and diseases introduction into
importing country
SA = signatory member of various multilateral and bilateral trade agreements
SA membership = opportunity to export its agricultural products to different
international markets (fruits, vegetables, seeds etc)
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WTO SPS Agreement
SA=Signatory member of WTO- SPS (Agreement on the Application of Sanitary &
Phytosanitary Measures)
 Sets rules for global trade of agricultural products
 Subscribes to the principle of equal market access and international cooperation in protecting human, animal and plant Health
WTO SPS gives members rights & obligation to:
 Protect the humans, plants & animals from foreign pests (i.e. set
phytosanitary regulations)
 Regulatory measures based on scientific data (i.e. technical justified &
appropriate)
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WTO SPS Agreement cont.
“Sanitary” refers to
Human and/ or animal health and officially controlled human
and/or animal pests and diseases, toxins and other
contaminants
“Phytosanitary” refers to
plant health and officially controlled plant pests and
diseases
“Measure” refers to any
Legislation, regulation or official procedure for preventing the
impact of regulated pests
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WTO SPS compliance cont.
Provisions of WTO SPS
*Harmonization = use ISPMs
Where relevant international standards/ relevant guides exist, Member shall
use them or relevant part of them as a basis for their technical regulations,
standards or conformity assessments
*Equivalence = Members shall, upon request, enter into consultations with the
aim of achieving bilateral and multilateral agreements on recognition of
the equivalence of specified SPS measures, even when they differ from
theirs, provided that they fulfill their objective or provide the appropriate
level of protection (ALOP).
ALOP = the level of protection deemed appropriate by the Member establishing a
sanitary or phytosanitary measure to protect human, animal, or plant health or
life within its territory. This concept is also referred to as “acceptable level of
risk”
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WTO SPS compliance cont.
Provisions of WTO SPS
*Assessment of Risk and Determination of the Appropriate Level of SPS
Protection = PRA
SPS measures based on risk assessment developed by relevant international
standard setting bodies
In assessing the risk to animal or plant life or health and determining the measure
to be applied for achieving the ALOP, Members shall take into account
-
scientific evidence
-
economic factors
-
and minimizing negative trade effects
Ensure consistency in the application of the concept of ALOP
Where relevant scientific evidence is insufficient, a Member may provisionally
adopt SPS measures on the basis of available pertinent information –
Precautionary principle.
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WTO SPS compliance cont.
Provisions of WTO SPS
*Adaptation to Regional Conditions, incl. Pest- or Disease-Free Areas and
Areas of Low Pest or Disease Prevalence
Ensure that SPS measures are adapted to the SPS characteristics of the area whether all of a country, part of a country, or all or parts of several countries from which the product originated and to which the product is destined.
Recognize the concepts of pest- or disease-free areas and areas of low pest
or disease prevalence.
Exporting Members claiming that areas within their territories are pest- or
disease-free areas or areas of low pest or disease prevalence shall provide
the necessary evidence thereof in order to objectively demonstrate this to
the importing Member.
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WTO SPS compliance cont.
Provisions of WTO SPS
*Transparency = IPP at www.ippc.int
National Enquiry Points and Notification Authorities established
*Control, Inspection and Approval Procedures = APIS
Annex C
*Discrimination = MFN, NT and Precautionary principle
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WTO SPS compliance cont.
International Standard Setting Bodies
Members shall play a full part, within the limits of their resources in the relevant
international organizations and their subsidiary bodies
-
the Codex Alimentarius Commission
-
the International Office of Epizootics (OIE)
-
the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)
Promote within these organizations the development and periodic review of
standards, guidelines and recommendations with respect to all aspects of
sanitary and phytosanitary measures
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International Plant Protection
Convention (IPPC)
Purpose:
 effective action to prevent the spread and introduction of pests of
plants and plant products, and
 to promote appropriate measures for their control
Scope:
 Covers international cooperation in controlling the introduction of pests
associated plants and plants products
 Extends to items capable of harboring or spread pests, such as:
• Storage places, Conveyors / vehicles and containers
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IPPC: National regulatory services
SA membership obligations ito WTO SPS AGREEMENT and specifically the
IPPC (NRT 97): Members should provide for a NPPO (National Plant Protection
Organisation)

Conduct pest risk analysis (PRA)

Phytosanitary inspection

Issue phytosanitary certificates

Disinfestation and/ or disinfection of consignments

Phytosanitary security of consignments after inspection

Surveillance (cultivated and wild)

Report pest occurrence, outbreak and spread

Control pests

Protect endangered areas

Designate, maintain and survey PFA’a and ALPP’s

Training and development of staff

National Plant Protection contact point
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•NATIONAL PLANT PROTECTION ORGANISATION (NPPO)
OF SOUTH AFRICA
DIRECTORATE PLANT HEALTH
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT INSPECTION SERVICES
Director: Plant Health - MS Alice Baxter (DPH@daff.gov.za)
Director: APIS - Mr Mooketsa Ramasodi (DAPIS@daff.gov.za)
SUB-DIRECTORATE
SUB-DIRECTORATE
SUB-DIRECTORATE
SUB-
SUB-DIRECTORATE
SUB-DIRECTORATE
International Plant
National Plant Health
Quarantine Diagnostic
DIRECTORATE
Port of Entry Point Control
National Plant and
Health Matters
Matters
& Infrastructure
Port of Entry Point
Land Border Posts
Plant Product
Services
Control
Seaports
NPPO Contact Point,
Early Warning Systems
Diagnostic Services:
Bi- and multilateral
& Rapid response:
Ms Melanie Arendse
Inspections
Land Border Posts
Gauteng:
Ms Poppie Molebatsi
Agreements :
Ms Marianna Theyse
Eastern Cape & Free
State:
Pest Risk Analysis:
National Policy, Norms
Ms Isabel
and Standards:
Quarantine Services:
Airports:
KZN, Mpumalanga &
Bezuidenhout & Mr
Limpopo:
Victor Mudau
Mr Harry Hlakane
Western Cape:
Plant Health Import
Promotion and
Infrastructure &
Export Protocols:
Awareness:
Campus
Ms Juliet Maja
Management:
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Audit services
Market Access and maintenance
Relies on:
1 Technically justified measures based on:
 Pest Risk Analysis
 Reliable published information
 Rapid pest identification method
 Up-to-date survey and pest lists
 Effective pest mitigation treatments
 Surveillance for new pests
 Good agricultural practice
2 Bilateral agreement between NPPOs regarding import requirements
3 Communication & cooperation between role players & stakeholders
4 A record of credibility i.e. the ability to comply with requirements & provide reliable
information
5 Active country membership of and participation in the relevant International
Standards Setting Bodies, and
6 Implementation of the appropriate international standards (ISPMs)
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Market Access and maintenance cont.
Communication:
1 Export initiation actions are undertaken upon request & in collaboration with
respective SA industries
2 Technical meetings regarding access and maintenance of export markets “MAWG”
meetings (reps from different industries CGA, Subtrop Growers, Hortgro, PPECB
etc)
3 Day to day communication
4 Ongoing communication with trade partner NPPOs
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Market Access and maintenance cont.
Regulating exports:
1Phytosanitary inspections and controls to verify compliance
2 Phytosanitary certification to confirm compliance (phytosanitary certificate)
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Market Access and maintenance cont.
Major established export markets:
 Citrus – EU, Japan, South Korea, China, Iran, Taiwan, Middle East, USA,
Africa, Russia, India
 Table Grapes: EU, Israel, China, Iran
 Apples & pears: USA, Taiwan, EU, Mexico
 Stone fruit: EU
 Persimmons: EU, Israel
Current negotiation with some important importing countries:
 Litchi – USA
 Mango – India, China, Japan, Brazil
 Avocado – India, Brazil
 Citrus – Australia
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Market Access and maintenance cont.
Some important quarantine pests of concern:
 Fruit flies (Mediterranean and Natal Fruit Fly)
 False Codling Moth
 Citrus greening
 Citrus Black Spot (PFA)
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SA’s challenges relating to
international trade
Capacity constraints related to:
Limited scientists to conduct PRA
Limited pest survey information for providing to NPPO in target country
Scientific information for PRA
Inconsistency regarding communication from importing countries
Lack of information on import requirements of trade partners
Other:
Limited cooperation between DoA, Provincial, other departments and the
industry/ stakeholders
Smuggling
Non-compliance of imports
Climate change
Pest outbreaks (ie Bactrocera invadens, aster yellow phytoplasma etc)
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CONCLUSION
South Africa has a great potential
Scientists
to access new International markets
 Effective communication
Different
(DoA) NPPO
 Reliable scientific information + Provincial
Industries
of commodity pests &
departments Market access & stakeholders
& maintenance
diseases
 Plant health legislation &
standards
Producers /
Assignees
farmers
Team Work (shared responsibility)
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