The Bangladesh government has implemented a self-imposed ban on vegetable exports to the EU until it can tighten up quality standards in the sector, reports the Dhaka Tribune.
The move comes after several years of EU alerts concerning Bangladeshi produce quality, and reports that some exporters were faking phytosanitary certificates in order to ship to Europe, the paper said.
The government is now encouraging growers to follow GlobalGAP standards, and will allow only ‘contract farmers’ to eventually export to Europe.
Officials at Bangladesh’s Commerce and Agriculture Ministry told the Dhaka Tribune that “contract farming”, whereby a buyer commissions a grower to supply a certain product meeting particular standards, would ensure exports to the EU maintained the required quality.
The Bangladesh government took this action to avert a potential long-term export ban from the EU, the paper said.
“We want to export quality products. Nobody wants to see that the entire market door gets closed for a handful of people who are forging documents or their products with problems,” said the Commerce Secretary.
Deputy director of Plant Quarantine Station at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Hafizur Rahman said the EU had alerted Bangladesh about its fruit and vegetable products in the past, but some exporters took some dubious steps.
“We’ll let them know our products are safe once we can produce as per their requirements. Both the country and exporters will be benefited with this,” Rahman added.
