Sanitary and phytosanitary measures pose major challenge

Trade barriers remain one of the greatest concerns for exporters in the perishable industry who are increasingly looking to Africa as a new market of value. While there is no denying that major inroads have been made, trade barriers are still a big stumbling block prohibiting intra-Africa trade. But agricultural exports are not only affected by regional barriers – moving perishables into developed countries has become increasingly difficult due to excessively strict health standards. “When it comes to traditional trade protection measures such as tariffs and quotas, they are falling away in the more industrialised countries, but then it seems they are being replaced by more domestic technical regulations,” said one expert contacted by FTW. “Sanitary and phytosanitary measures being imposed on fruit from Africa are increasingly becoming a challenge. In terms of African trade with other African countries, the more traditional trade barriers are still the major stumbling block impeding intra-regional trade.” While governments and regional organisations such as Comesa, the EAC and SADC are working hard towards developing policy and procedures that will increase regional trade, the reality is that implementation at ground level is slow. “Fruit can’t sit at a border post waiting for a policy implementation to be understood by all parties involved. The perishable sector is therefore quite vulnerable in that once it leaves for its final destination, an efficient system must be in place with as few delays as possible,” said the expert who preferred to not be named. One area where intraregional perishable trade is proving to be hugely successful is in the pome fruit sector. Speaking earlier this year at the Cool Logistics conference in Cape Town, Iain McIntosh, regional sales manager at MOL South Africa, said it was a success story to be proud of with South African apples and pears having seen an increase from around 4 million to 9 million cartons exported a year in just four years. The total annual pome fruit crop in South Africa is around 65 million cartons a year, making the 9 million cartons now being exported to mostly West Africa quite a significant number. The Nigerian market in particular is being targeted by the pome fruit industry where an increase in imports has been seen. In 2009 Nigeria imported around 2000 cartons of pome fruit from South Africa compared to the 2 million in 2009, and the figure is still growing. INSERT & CAPTION One area where intraregional perishable trade is proving to be hugely successful is in the pome fruit sector. – Iain McIntosh CAPTION Nine million cartons of pome fruit a year are now being exported mainly to West Africa.