Supply chain: Pakistan fails to adopt global standards
Pakistan is lagging behind in adopting international standards of grading, packing, transportation, storage and hygiene and farmers should follow principles of Global Partnership for Good Agricultural Practices (Global GAP) to improve their produce, according to an agricultural expert.
Speaking to agriculture, livestock and poultry farmers at the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute Faisalabad here on Saturday, Supply Chain Project Coordinator Dr Rafiq-ur-Rehman said the Punjab government would start a programme worth billions of rupees for improving supply chain of 15 selected agricultural and livestock products according to international standards. As a result, these products would be recognised and sold in markets of developed countries.
Under this programme, 3,000 farmers would be trained to help them acquire Global GAP certification to follow international standards. Of these farmers, 2,250 will be related to agriculture and 750 to livestock.
He said a traceability bar and logo would be printed on each packing of export products. About financial assistance, he said 70 per cent of the estimated cost for supply chain of agricultural and livestock products would be provided to the stakeholders, who would participate in the programme this year.
In the second year, 50 per cent of the expected cost will be given to the stakeholders while in the third year, 30 per cent financial assistance will be provided.
For financial assistance, farmers can obtain application forms from the District Officer Extension, District Officer Livestock or can be downloaded from the website of Punjab Agriculture Department.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2011.
COMMENTS (3)
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GlobalGAP is a very expensive certifier and you have to keep books of records, not even electronic. Since the cantaloupe melon poisoning in the USA everybody is hard questioning the value of a certification. The lawyer group Marler Clark is even sues the certification company Primus Lab. One day snapshot on a farm has nothing to do with food safety. ScoringAg with his Consultant, Khurram Irshad, CEO of AMAANCO, 11 & 12 SHAHEEN TOWERS, SHAHRA-E-FAISAL, KARACHI 75400, PAKISTAN, PHONE 92-213-4540791-2, FAX 92-213-4540793, offers all records needed for GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) and BMP (Best Manufacturer Practice) including all productions records for US-$ 1.60 per field and per year. This is a price everyone in Pakistan can afford and participate in international trade. The traceback code comes with the records and satisfies the traceback laws in Europe and USA.
To understand and apply global standards, farmers need some education, whereas majority of farmers are illeterates. Anyone who is lucky enough to get some education, moves out in cities. The future of farming in Pakistan is not good.
Excellent PAD act as role model. Others please follow.