Types Of Fresh Agriculture Produce Which Had Gained Export Market Access Through Plant Quarantine Bilateral Negotiation Until Jan 2009

Introduction
The Department Of Agriculture (DOA) of Malaysia which is recognised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) is resposible in conducting negotiation requesting market access with foreign countries so as to ensure that the nation's agricultural product may gain access into importing countries market.

Agreement arising from a two way negotiation will lead to the signing of market access protocol for certain agricultural products based on terms and conditions stipulated to enter into the importing nation's market.

The Agriculture Department will assist exporters in facilitating for market access by providing the following services:

a. Accreditation of farms,packaging centres and factories under tha Malaysian Farm Accreditation Scheme (SALM) and The Malaysian Phytosanitary Certification Assurance Scheme (MPCA) to ensure that the nations fresh agricultural produce are acceptable by the importing countries..

b. Accreditation of quarantine treatment services provider under the Malaysian Fumigation Accreditation Scheme (MAFAS) and the Malaysian Heat Treatment Accreditation Scheme (MAHTAS)

c. Providing post harvest and quarantine treatment facilities at Agricultural Produce Export Centre

d. Provision of Phytosanitary certification service by inspecting and issuing phytosanitary certificate* on consignment to be exported.

* it is a patented plant health certificate based on the International Plant Protection Convention applied by all importing countries.

Guidelines For Regulating Wood Packaging Meterial In International Trade ISPM15

Background

INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES No. 15-"Guidelines For Regulating Wood Packaging Material In International Trade" was endorsed by the Interim Commissions on Phytosanitary Measures of IPPC in March 2002

Many countries are implementing this standard.

Malaysia is implementing this standard to comply with the international requirements.

INTRODUCTION

Scope

         This standard describes phytosanitary measures to reduce the risk of introduction and/or spread of quarantine pests associated with wood packaging material(including dunnage) , made of coniferous and non-coniferous raw wood , used in international trade.

Outline of Requirements

         Wood packaging material made of unprocessed raw wood is a pathway for the introduction and spread of pests. Because the origin of wood packaging material is often difficult to determine, globally approved measures that significantly reduce the risk of pest spread are described. NPPOs are encouraged to accept wood packaging material that has been subjected to an approved measure without further requirements. Such wood packaging material includes dunnage, but excludes processed wood packaging material.

        Procedures to verify that an approved measure, including the application of a globally recognized mark has been applied should be in place in both exporting and importing countries. Other measures agreed to under a bilateral arrangement are also considered in this standard. Wood packaging material that does not comply with the requirements of this standard should be disposed of in an approved manner.

Basis for Regulating

        Wood packaging material is frequently made of raw wood that may not have undergone sufficient processing or treatment to remove or kill pests and therefore becomes a pathway for the introduction and spread of pests.Wood packaging material is often re-used, recycled or re-manufactured ( in that packaging received with an imported consignment may be re-used to accompany another consignment for export). The true origin of any piece of wood packaging material is difficult to determine and thus its phytosanitary status cannot be ascertained. Therefore the normal process of undertaking risk analysis to determine a measure are necessary and the strength of such measures is frequently not possible for wood packaging material because its origin and phytosanitary status may not be known. For this reason, this standard describes globally accepted measures that are approved and that may be applied to wood packaging material by all countries to practically eliminate the risk from a number of other pests that may be associated with that material.

        Countries should have technical justification for requiring the application of the approved measures as described in this standard for imported wood packaging material. Requiring phytosanitary measures beyond an approved measure as described in this standard also requires technical justification.

Regulated Wood Packaging Meterial

       These guidelines are for coniferous and non-coniferous raw wood packaging that may serve as a pathway for plant pests posing a threat mainly to living trees. They cover wood packaging material such as pallets, dunnage, crating, packing blocks, drums, cases, load boards, pallets collars, and skids which can be present in almost any imported consignment, including consignment which would not normally be the target of phytosanitary inspection.

Exemption.

         Wood packaging made wholly of wood-based products such as plywood, particle board, oriented stand board or veneer that have been created using glue, heat and pressure or a combination thereof should be considered sufficiently processed to have eliminated the risk associated with the raw wood. It is unlikely to be infested by raw wood pests during its use and therefore should not be regulated for these pests.
           Wood packaging material such as veneer peeler cores, sawdust, wood wool, and shavings and raw wood cut into thin pieces may not be pathway for introduction of quarantine pests and should not be regulated unless technically justified.

Types of Regulated Wood Packaging Meterial

                                                               Pallets

                                                               Dunnage

 Spools/Drums                                                                               Spools/Drums


 
 



                                          





             Wooden Box                                                                                         Box

                                                                      Wooden Crate

                                                                         Crating
                                                    

Potential impact of pests associated with wood packaging material

i.          Tree mortality and timber volume loss
ii.         Wood defects and degradation
iii.         Increased cost for mitigating pest damage or restoring habitat
iv.         Environmental degradation-use of chemical to control
v.         Cost of meeting requirements of other countries once a pest is found.
vi.        Loss of non-market  services provided by tree (eg. aesthetics, cooling)
vii.       Eliminate or reduce risks of spread of pests.
viii.      Protect a country's agriculture or timber industry.

Packaging Material - Not Regulated

-          Processed wood / wood-based products such as plywood
-          Paper products
-          Particle boards
-          Oriented stand boards
-          Veneer-created using glue, heat and pressure or a combination
-          Raw wood cut into thin pieces such as sawdust and shaving.

Approved Measures Associated With Wood Packaging Meterial

Heat Treatment (HT)

           Wood packaging material should be heated in accordance with a specific time-temperature schedule that achieves a minimum wood core temperature of 56'c for a minimum of 30 minutes. Heat treatment is indicated by the mark HT.
            Kiln-drying (KD), chemical pressure impregnation (CPI), or other treatments may be considered HT treatments to the extent that these meet the HT specifications. For example, CPI may meet the HT specification through the use of steam, hot water, or dry heat.

Methyl Bromide (MB) Fumigation

          The wood packaging material should be fumigated with methyl bromide. The treatment is indicated by the mark MB. The minimum standard dosage of concentrations for methyl bromide fumigation treatment for wood packaging material is as follows;

Temperature        Dosage                m i n i m u m   c o n c e n t r a t i o n ( g/m3) a t  ;
                            (g/m3)                 2hrs             4hrs             12hrs             24hrs 
21'c or above             48                     36                31                 28                  24
16'c or above             56                     42                36                 32                  28
11'c or above             64                     48                42                 36                  32

The minimum temperature should not be less than 10'c and the minimum exposure time should be 24 hrs 

Monitoring of concentrations should be carried out at a minimum at 2,4,12 and 24 hrs exposure time.

Marking Samples
.     The marking proposed for WPM

Sources;  www.moa.gov.my





www.doa.gov.my