Existing Situation of Quarantine in Nepal 1965 : Membership of APPPC : establishment of Central Plant Quarantine Unit in Plant Pathology Division 1972

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1 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

2 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

3 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

4 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

5 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 5

6 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

7 Major Pitfalls Import led revenue collection rather than export led benefits Whim based export rather than sustainability

8 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 8

9 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 Source: MoCS NRs. 100 million

10 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

11 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

12 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

13 Oppurtunities from free economic policy and globalization SAARC must go to regionalization/regional co-operation rather than individualism Must revisit SAARC constitution accordingly

14 Thank you 14