Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain has reiterated that compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regulations is a cardinal principle of international trade in agro-products.
"These rules are not a formality; they are the lifeline of our export system, safeguarding food safety, public health and the biosecurity of ecosystems," the minister emphasised in a statement released on Wednesday.
Responding to directives, the Department of Plant Protection (DPP), which works under the Ministry of National Food Security, has taken initiatives across rice, maize, citrus and mango sectors to ensure compliance with SPS standards.
During the current mango season, several reforms were introduced, including the posting of staff at exit points, engagement of reputed pre-shipment inspection (PSI) firms, installation of CCTV cameras, back-end monitoring, mandatory punching of vehicle numbers on phytosanitary certificates, photographic proof of staff with consignments and reshuffling of staff to eliminate malpractices. These steps reflect the government's commitment to transparency and credibility in the phytosanitary certification system.
Earlier, the DPP intercepted a major violation on May 25, 2025 at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. In collaboration with Pakistan Customs, three mango consignments weighing 6.2 metric tons and valuing at $25,649, which were going to Norway, were stopped due to non-compliance with the mandatory phytosanitary protocols of the European Union.
The exporters attempted to bypass critical SPS requirements such as hot water treatment, sourcing from registered orchards, pesticide residue analysis and correct HS code declaration.
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