On 18 October the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, acting under the Agricultural Products Standards Act, published the “Prohibition Regarding the Removal of Imported Regulated Agricultural Products Intended for Sale in the Republic of South Africa from the Specified Ports of Entry or any other place as Determined by the Executive Officer.”
According to the notice, the executive officer may in writing grant permission for the removal (release) of products from the specified port of entry or such other place when such products are: (a) imported in quantities that are less than 20kg in total mass; and (b) in transit to a neighbouring country, provided that the accompanying documentation shall clearly reflect the name of the destination country.
The remainder of the notice pertains to:
2. An application for –
(a) The inspection, approval and subsequent removal of a consignment of imported regulated agricultural products; or
(b) The removal of a consignment of imported regulated agricultural products from the ports of entry specified in the Table hereto, or any other place as determined by the Executive Officer, shall be made.
3. The consignment of imported agricultural product shall be presented for inspection; approved or rejected according to the procedures.
4. The prescribed or determined fees shall be payable for consignment of imported agricultural product presented for inspection.
5. In circumstances whereby an imported consignment cannot be inspected, graded and sampled for quality control at the port of entry specified in the Table hereto, or any other place as determined by the Executive Officer, an inspector may consider granting written permission to the importer (the applicant) an extended detention: Provided that the final inspection location or destination of the consignment is established and declared
Story by: Riaan de Lange