The government has impounded export licence of four business firms for exporting pest-infested fruits and vegetables to the European Union (EU) market as the matter annoyed the consumers.
Official sources said the action came on the heels of a warning from Brussels that it might ban the import of Bangladesh's agricultural produce if pest-free exports were not guaranteed by end of September this year.
An EU letter of allegations, presented to the Bangladesh embassy in Brussels in June this year, also carried complaint of fake quality certificates accompanying the export consignments.
Commerce Secretary Hedayetullah Al-Mamun told the FE Sunday that an inter-ministerial meeting last week reviewed the situation and was preparing to send an action plan to the EU health authorities by August 15.
"It is a comprehensive action plan which outlines how the government looks forward to addressing the matter from production to storage and export so that buyers at the EU end can get pest-free produce," he said.
The commerce secretary said the government is committed to continuing the export uninterrupted through addressing the concerns of the EU health officials on their heath risks.
A source in the commerce ministry confirmed the names of the four business houses facing export ban as M/s Bangladesh Food Exporters Ltd, M/s Akhi Enterprise, M/s Rafi and Rafi Enterprise and Moon International Ltd.
The government agencies concerned are also working with other exporters and leaders of Bangladesh Vegetables Exporters Association to stop any such fraudulence and plug the source of false certification.
The EU considers gourds, eggplants, citruses and amaranthus as some of the critical commodities that contained harmful organisms.
In a previous action the European Union had suspended import of betel leaf from Bangladesh for bacterial contamination. The ban was extended recently up to June next year.
Fruit and vegetable export to the EU countries fetched $209 million in the fiscal 2013-14. More than half the exports go to the UK, the country that hosts the largest number of Bangladeshi expatriates. Then comes the Middle East as the second-largest export destination.
The EU reportedly detected 270 fruit and vegetable consignments between 2011 and 2014 and 211 of those were found with fake quality certificates or having no phytosanitary certificates.
The commerce secretary said Bangladeshi scientists have already developed laboratory process to make betel leaf for export pest-free. The government has also reproduced the system in British labs where most people of the Bangladeshi diaspora use it.
Now the government will invite the EU health authorities to see the local laboratory facilities and how the businesses plan to export bacteria-free betel leaf.
"We need more diplomatic efforts now to secure removal of the ban," said the commerce secretary.
He said they would discuss the problems with Foreign Ministry officials soon alongside cleaning the export process from any wrongdoing.
He said the action plan which the ministry of agriculture has developed includes steps such as 'contract farming' so that the exportable get care from planting to stocking and export processing.
It also emphasises a 'cooling chain' to be developed which will immediately preserve the produce in cold storages following its harvest. Their movement to airport will be in cooling vans up to making the consignment airborne. More cold storages will be set up at the airport, he said.
The government is also working on enhancing the capacity of quality certification and monitoring by setting up a new certification body pulling expertise from agricultural universities and specialized agencies working for agriculture.
The exportable-inspection capacity will also be enhanced by hiring more inspectors, the commerce secretary said, listing the comprehensive measures aimed at ensuring sound agro-export trade.
Four firms face ban on vegetable export to EU
FE Report | Published: August 13, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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