Peru’s ministry of agriculture and irrigation (Minagri) and Dutch food safety authority NVMA has agreed to implement a pilot programme for the electronic phytosanitary certification of agricultural exports to the Netherlands, the main port of entry for Peruvian fresh produce exports to the European Union.
The aim of the scheme is to reduce costs and bring greater efficiency to the current system of issuing phytosanitary certificates conventionally by moving the system online.
“Providing real-time data on shipments destined for the Netherlands will speed up the inspection process at key entry points,” a spokesperson at Minagri told Inforegión.
“It also reduces the time required to obtain phytosanitary certificates, provides greater security to the process and minimises the circulation of forged certificates, guaranteeing the health and safety in the trade of agricultural products between Peru and the Netherlands.”
Minagri’s food safety service Senasa and NVWA will establish a working plan with the help of technical experts in each country to develop the pilot programme.
“This will bring Senasa in line with the phytosanitary authorities in other countries and help improve the competitiveness of our agricultural exports to global markets,” Minagri said.
