Japan has overtaken Russia

Japan has overtaken Russia as the fourth most important export destination of EU agri-food products after the United States, China, and Switzerland, a new European Commission report has found (23 December).

According to the Monitoring EU Agri-Food Trade report, from November 2015 to October 2016, EU agri-food exports reached a value of €129.9 billion, a 1.9% increase in value terms compared to the same period last year.

Diplomat: Changing eating habits in new markets favour EU exports

A rising middle class in emerging markets, focused on food quality, bodes well for EU agri-exports, said Marc Vanheukelen, the European Union’s ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO). EurActiv.com reports from Athens.

EurActiv.com

The export surplus for the 12-month period increased to more than €18 billion.

Exports to Russia further down

According to the report, major gains were recorded in agri-food exports to the USA (+8%), China (+12%), Japan (+0.4 billion) and Vietnam (+330 million).

New CAP is still struggling to find new export

Exports to Russia further decreased, from €5.7 billion in November 2014 to October 2015, to €5.5 billion during the period November 2015 to October 2016, representing a 5% reduction in value.

Russia now is the fifth most popular destination for the EU agri-food exports behind the US, China, Switzerland, and Japan.

Japan and the trade deal 

Japan has become the fourth most important export market for EU agri-food worldwide. The net surplus in agri-food trade with Tokyo has been estimated at €5 billion annually for the last few years.

EU producers mainly export to Japan pork, wine and vermouth, cheese and spirits and liqueurs.

Negotiations for a free trade agreement between the EU and Japan are ongoing and, according to the Commission, a successful conclusion would open further opportunities for the EU agri-food sector.

Source=euractiv.com

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

 

Do you have news on production, processing and packaging of food and feed, devoid of contaminants? Do you have information on farmer –friendly interventions that will guarantee healthy consumption? .Are you current on information regarding effects of chemicals/ contaminants, organic food  and Genetic modification in  agriculture and nutrition? Can you promote entrepreneurship through the supply of low-income equipment in Agriculture and drive women and the youth along ?

 

Please send your information to sfoodfeedf@yahoo.com

THAT 3-YEAR EU BAN ON BEANS FROM NIGERIA

 

The European Union has extended its ban on beans export from Nigeria  by a further 3 years, says a recent reliable report which quoted a top official of the Nigerian Agricultural  Quarantine Service(NAQS). The earlier 1 year ban was to terminate on June 30 2016. The interpretation of this action is that the initial 1-year ban was a ‘soft yellow card ‘ ban which if nothing was done to address the issues raised would attract a tougher ban. Now, here comes the PENALTY ……..and the cheapest source of plant protein in Nigeria is facing rejection abroad !!!!. Obviously, this is a reaction in annoyance.

Implications

1 The EU has noted that its earlier warning was disregarded. It may now focus on other crops   and other contaminants like mycotoxins

2 Trade imbalance will further widen between Nigeria and the EU

3 Further reduction in foreign earnings to Nigeria even when bean export earns Nigeria less than 1% of earnings

Questions

1 What measures were put in place by Nigeria between then and now to address the infraction complained about the chemical-dichlorvos –administered on beans ?.

2.What are the steps taken by Nigeria farmers and exporters of beans to reduce the level of dichlorvos between last year and now?

3 Specifically, what are the statutory steps to be taken by NAQS in situations like this, beyond releasing the bad news? If these steps were taken why did they still; attract this elongated ban? If not why were they not taken ?

4 If appropriate steps were NOT taken by Nigeria , then will it not be  safe to mention words like ‘incompetence’, ‘negligence’, ‘disconnect’, ‘lack of extension service’, ‘lax monitoring approach’?

5 If the EU considers beans produced and marketed in Nigeria as toxic and dangerous to the health of her citizens, why should a Nigerian consumer  consider same to be safe for consumption?

IF THE CROP IS BANNED IN EU COUNTRIES, IT SHOULD ALSO BE BANNED INJ NIGERIA

RECOMMENDATIONS

1Government should encourage public-private partnership in setting up analytical laboratories that will serve farmers and exporters

2 More extension workers should be employed with their skills regularly enhanced….and with incentives

3 Regular meetings of all stakeholders in the food and feed safety line

4 There must be collaboration between the EU and Nigeria on regular capacity building, interventions and other measures that will enhance health and international trade through wholesome food consumption

 

DF June 2016

EU and AFLATOXIN IN NIGERIA   :  MISINFORMATION AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

by sfoodfee

About 1 year ago it was reported in virtually all Nigerian newspapers and even social media that 6 crops from Nigeria had been banned from entering Europe for the next 12 months … ending June 30 2016. The offence was AFLATOXIN and PESTICIDE contents at levels higher than acceptable. And that this infraction had been repeated over time sometimes warranting alerts and warnings from the importing countries . It was a sad new and a source of worry for the mycotoxicologists, commodity exporters and  farmers  as well as other stakeholders. Even legislators were reported to concerned about the ‘6 crops’ that it was raised on the floor of the legislature.
However,  you will be shocked to read that
1 Such ban on 6(six) Nigerian  crops was a FRAUD. It never happened. The dishonest publication must be disregarded, at least to put the record straight—for the benefit of the academia, health sector and international trade
AFLATOXIN was never implicated in  any ban  even though Nigeria has been having a running battle in that direction over the years. I am aware of RASFF notices on some export items e. g melon.
3 Only 1 (one) crop was involved—-DRIED BEANS. The EU parliament , in the original document made available to SFFF, was clear on this
4 Only 1(one) contaminant –Dichlorvos –was involved and implicated
QUESTIONS
1 Where did the original false information come from ?  Who sponsored it? Who made the Press release?
2 What was the intention of the author(s) of the misleading document?
3 All of the crops earlier listed –beans, sesame, groundnut , palm oil, meat and fish products and melon are the main focus of an average Nigerian farmers/exporter
4 Why was AFLATOXIN mentioned when the EU did not talk about it?
5 Was there any attempt by  solution providers to embarrass Nigeria by ‘criminalizing’ Aflatoxin and making Nigeria culpable in the eyes of the world? …..  so as to make their products sell at all costs?
6 Is there no need to express discretion and circumspection in handling comments  and reports  that are capable of affecting the quality and export value of our agricultural commodities?
7 Is the name ‘aflatoxin’ now a franchise in Nigeria  and perhaps beyond?
 
=NIGERIA  MUST  BE PROTECTED AND PROMOTED  BY NIGERIANS….AT ALL TIMES AND ON ALL ISSUES=
D F
12 May 2016

EU and AFLATOXIN IN NIGERIA   :  MISINFORMATION AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

 

About 1 year ago it was reported in virtually all Nigerian newspapers and even social media that 6 crops from Nigeria had been banned from entering Europe for the next 12 months … ending June 30 2016. The offence was AFLATOXIN and PESTICIDE contents at levels higher than acceptable. And that this i9nfraction had been repeated over time sometimes warranting alerts and warnings from the importing countries . It was a sad new and a source of worry for the mycotoxicologists, commodity exporters and  farmers  as well as other stakeholders. Even legislators were reported to concerned about the ‘6 crops’ that it was raised on the floor of the legislature.

However,  you will be shocked to read that

1 Such ban on 6(six) Nigerian  crops was a FRAUD. It never happened. The dishonest publication must be disregarded, at least to put the record straight—for the benefit of the academia, health sector and international trade

2 AFLATOXIN was never implicated in  any ban  even though Nigeria has been having a running battle in that direction over the years. I am aware of RASFF notices on some export items e. g melon.

3 Only 1 (one) crop was involved—-DRIED BEANS. The EU parliament , in the original document made available to SFFF, was clear on this

4 Only 1(one) contaminant –Dichlorvos –was involved and implicated

QUESTIONS

1 Where did the original false information come from ?  Who sponsored it? Who made the Press release?

2 What was the intention of the author(s) of the misleading document?

3 All of the crops earlier listed –beans, sesame, groundnut , palm oil, meat and fish products and melon are the main focus of an average Nigerian farmers/exporter

4 Why was AFLATOXIN mentioned when the EU did not talk about it?

5 Was there any attempt by  solution providers to embarrass Nigeria by ‘criminalizing’ Aflatoxin and making Nigeria culpable in the eyes of the world? …..  so as to make their products sell at all costs?

6 Is there no need to express discretion and circumspection in handling comments  and reports  that are capable of affecting the quality and export value of our agricultural commodities?

7 Is the name ‘aflatoxin’ now a franchise in Nigeria  and perhaps beyond?

 

=NIGERIA  MUST  BE PROTECTED AND PROMOTED  BY NIGERIANS….AT ALL TIMES AND ON ALL ISSUES=

D F

12 May 2016

NIGERIA=FOR A LOCAL WHOLESOME FOOD CONSUMPTION AND ENHANCED EXPORT VALUE IN 2016

Nigerians expect the year 2016 to witness an upscale in the standards in the agricultural sector in a manner that will rub off positively on the human health and export.. In 2015, the Nigerian agric export suffered a set back as the EU placed a 1 year ban on the importation of beans, sesame seeds, melon seeds, dried fish and meat, peanut chips and palm oil from Nigeria . The ban which ends in June 2016 was due to the continuous detection of pesticides and aflatoxins at levels higher than acceptable. Aflatoxins are poisons produced by moulds on these and other susceptible crops when exposed to conducive environment. These favourable conditions are present in Nigeria and sub Saharan Africa.

One aflatoxin has been placed on the list of group 1 carcinogen, confirming its being a human carcinogen. A 2013 report released by Partnership for Aflatoxin Ccntrol in Africa, PACA , sponsored by the Bill and Melinda gates Foundation and DFID stated that more than 70% of all liver cancer cases in Nigeria were attributable to aflatoxin ingestion. PACA, is a continental but country-led initiative,

Stakeholders expect that food production and food safety should be on same front page in the policy road map of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in 2016.

As we approach June 2016, what steps and feedback evaluation mechanisms re being put in place to launch Nigeria back to the EU and global agricultural platforms ? Capacity building and holistic solution provision measures must be attained and sustained. It will be a disaster if, after June, Nigeria is once again caught in another embarrassing ban web. In every four Africans there ‘s one Nigerian; and for every two West Africans, there’s also one Nigerian. This demographic advantage should naturally confer leadership on Nigeria in every department including meeting standards in aflatoxin –free local food consumption and global agricultural trade. It is a challenge the Hon Minister of Agric is competent to address.

 Dele Fapohunda

08033709492

Feb 09 2016

 

SYMPOSIUM ON MYCOTOXINS HELD IN ABUJA

An international symposium on Minimizing Mycotoxins in Food and Feeds was held at the Raw Materials Research and Development from September 8 -12 2015. Participants were drawn from many countries in Africa and Europe.

 

 

dele fapohunda