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South African exporters to certify maize GM-free (17/10/2005)

"All crops to be exported must therefore be tested and if it is condemned at the border, it will be seized, destroyed and the exporter has to bear all the costs" - Caleb Mulenga, President, Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ)
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SA Company Engaged to Inspect Imported Maize
The Times of Zambia, October 17, 2005
http://allafrica.com/stories/200510170094.html

A SOUTH AFRICAN based company, SGS and ACE Coctcene has been engaged to inspect all the maize being imported in Zambia to ensure that it was not genetically modified.

Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) president Caleb Mulenga said in an interview yesterday that South African exporters had engaged the inspectorate company to meet the psytosanitary certificate requirement of ensuring that all crop products being exported to Zambia were GMO free.

"The South African exporters have been asked to pass the psytosanitary certificate for them to export maize to Zambia.

"All crops to be exported must therefore be tested and if it is condemned at the border, it will be seized, destroyed and the exporter has to bear all the costs," Mr Mulenga said.

He said the millers were also re-testing the imported maize at Mount Makulu Agricultural Research Station in Chilanga to ensure that it was really GMO free.

Mr Mulenga said it would be unfair for some millers to bring in genetically modified mealie meal or maize because it was cheaper and would therefore not provide a level playing field on the market.

As millers, we are committed to ensuring that no GMO maize or mealie meal comes in the country," Mr Mulenga said.

Mr Mulenga has, meanwhile, bemoaned the high transport costs in the importation of maize in the country.

"We have started importing maize at a time when there is a transport crisis. There is a shortage of diesel and there are many other products like fertiliser and flour which are being exported now so the transport costs are very high," Mr Mulenga said.

He said that transport costs had increased from about $80 per tonne to about $120 per tonne.

Mr Mulenga said millers should have been allowed to import the maize between May and August to avoid such a crisis.

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