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this regard to DAFF. A priority list is devel-
oped for plant commodities to be exported
to the major target markets. Historically, this
is done on a first-come, first-served basis,
usually reflecting the size or resources of the
industry involved. The lists are reviewed, as
required, by the industry.
On receiving the industry’s written request
for market access, DAFF Directorate Plant
Health sends a letter of request to its techni-
cal counterpart (NPPO) in the target country.
Depending on the country concerned, this
may be communicated via the DAFF Agri-
cultural Attaché for that country, or directly
to the official contact point of the NPPO
of that country, and copied to the relevant
DAFF Attaché.
At the same time, the NPPO of the target
country is requested to provide its pest
information questionnaire. This covers all
the scientific and technical information the
plant health authorities need for conducting
a scientific phytosanitary import risk analy-
sis, or pest risk analysis. Risk management
decisions are based on the assessment of
the pest risk involved for a specific com-
modity and its country of origin. The import
requirements are designed to manage the
anticipated risk of pests accompanying the
commodity that are not already present in
the importing country, at a level of protec-
tion acceptable to the importing country.
In South Africa, the required pest informa-
tion package is compiled by industry tech-
nical experts, and scrutinised by the DAFF
Pest Risk Analysis team and other compo-
nents, if relevant, to ensure that it is correct
and complete. When it has been finalised,
Directorate Plant Health provides it as an of-
ficial document to the plant health authori-
ties (NPPO) of the trading partner.
The scientific pest risk assessment pro-
cess includes categorisation of the listed
organisms as quarantine pests or not; as-
sessment of the probability of their entry;
establishment and spread in the importing
country; and assessment of the potential
negative consequences of introduction into
the importing country.
Once an organism has been listed as a
quarantine pest that is likely to follow the
specific commodity pathway and establish
in the importing country, management op-
tions are investigated. These must be nec-
essary, proportional to the estimated risk,
feasible and the least trade restrictive. Envi-
ronmental and socioeconomic issues must
also be considered appropriately.
Exchanges of technical communications
between the plant health authorities of the
two countries continue until the potential
importing partner has completed its risk
analysis, communicated the identified pest
risks to the potential exporting side, and
the two NPPOs have reached agreement on
the required import measures.
For exports, NPPOZA must strive to en-
sure that the phytosanitary import require-
ments of its trading partners are necessary,
technically justified and the least trade re-
strictive. In the process, differing opinions
may arise and trading partners may require
additional information as technical justifi-
cation for South Africa’s viewpoints or re-
quests.
The importing side provides its draft pest
risk analysis report for consideration of
the NPPO of the exporting country and,
based on the results of the pest risk analysis
report, its draft phytosanitary import meas-
ures for the commodity in question. Some-
times this is a two-step process.
To conclude the risk analysis process and/
or initiate exports, most importing countries
need to send at least one technical team to
South Africa. The intention is to observe
and inspect production areas, farms and
export facilities with the aim of ensuring
that all required phytosanitary measures are
in place.
For such visits to South Africa, DAFF Di-
rectorate Plant Health obtains confirmation
from the industry involved that it will fund
the visit according to the trading partner’s
specifications.
When the NPPOZA is satisfied that the best
agreement possible in the circumstances
has been negotiated within the parameters
agreed with industry, the agreement may
be concluded. It is then subjected to the
required processes in the importing coun-
try and put into action. Alternatively, it may
need to be signed at a high government
level, between the responsible ministers.
Both types of processes may take an addi-
tional several months.
After signing and/or completion of the re-
quired official procedures, operational and
technical arrangements for trade in these
commodities may proceed. This usually
requires the provision to the phytosanitary
authorities of the importing country of an
official list of approved production units and
pack houses, each facility having a unique
code for traceability purposes.
In South Africa, this relies on the DAFF
Food Business Operator (FBO) coding pro-
cess, managed by DAFF Directorate Food
Safety and Quality Assurance. The first step
towards compliance with phytosanitary
import requirements entails an official reg-
istration and verification procedure for the
farms and facilities involved. The required
processes and databases are managed by
DAFF Directorate Plant Health, and the in-
spection and verification process undertak-
en by Directorate Inspection Services.
Government support
In view of the processes involved, mar-
ket access demands long-term strategic
planning, and identification of those com-
modity-market pairings with the highest
economic potential in order to obtain maxi-
mum economic benefit for South Africa.
As indicated, in South Africa and most of its
target markets, the technical access process
entails a time-consuming series of steps, in-
cluding pest risk assessment and develop-
ment of risk management options for those
pests that are reasonably expected to be
associated with the plant part to be traded
as well as negotiation of the least trade re-
strictive risk mitigation measures.
The key to phytosanitary market access and
maintenance is the availability of an ade-
quately resourced, effectively co-ordinated
official NPPO, and the capacity to provide
reliable, up to date scientific and technical
information on all the pests associated with
a particular commodity in the country of
origin. It also demands a credible phytosani-
tary verification, inspection and trace-back
system in order to ensure compliance with
the phytosanitary import requirements of
international target markets.
Another pillar for market access and main-
tenance is the maintenance of a credible
phytosanitary inspection, verification and
certification system upon which trading
partners can rely to ensure compliance with
their phytosanitary import requirements.
This requires competent pest diagnostic
support services.
For scientific and technical information,
DAFF relies heavily on support from techni-
cal experts in the commodity organisations
involved. They have specialist knowledge of
the commodity concerned as well as more
ready access to scientific journals and fund-
ing for research than DAFF.
Market access and maintenance also re-
quire the capacity and resources to conduct
pest surveys and pest surveillance. This is
necessary in order to monitor and verify
pest status in South Africa, as well as sup-
port an early detection system for pests of
quarantine concern.
Members of the IPPC are required to inform
trading partners of any change in phytosani-
tary status that may pose a risk in interna-
tional trade.
In terms of compliance with import require-
ments, DAFF relies on producers’ capacity
and commitment to monitor, manage and
mitigate the risks of pests of quarantine con-
cern to the importing country, and industry
support to producers in this respect.
The authors gratefully acknowledge DAFF
’
s contribution without which this article wouldn’t have been possible.