Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has welcomed the signing of the new Plant Health Bill into law aimed at boosting agricultural trade and biosecurity.
The Plant Health (Phytosanitary) Act, 2024 (Act No. 35 of 2024), which is the repeal of the Agricultural Pests Act, 1983 (Act No. 36 of 1983), was assented to by President Cyril Ramaphosa last Thursday.
The bill provides for phytosanitary measures to prevent the introduction, establishment and spread of regulated pests in South Africa and the control of regulated pests.
It further provides for the regulation of the movement of plants, plant products and other regulated articles, into, within and out of South Africa.
The new Act seeks to address gaps and challenges, including constitutional issues, alignment with the international prescripts and provision of export, in the current phytosanitary system.
This is in view of the requirements of this country’s major trading partners and the requirements under the relevant international agreements and treaties of which South Africa is a signatory member.
Among the notable changes in the new Act is the inclusion of new sections or provisions that will cover. among others, the establishment of the National Plant Protection Organisation of South Africa (NPPOZA), the development of regulations to facilitate exports, in transit and re-export of plants and plant products, establishment of pest free areas, areas of low pest prevalence, the provision of which is an obligation in terms of South Africa’s signatory membership of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).
Steenhuisen highlighted that the Act also provides for the involvement of all spheres of government to cooperate when managing pests and diseases within the country.
He said the Act will serve as a biosecurity measure to safeguard South African agriculture from plant pests and diseases, to ensure an effective phytosanitary regulatory system that is needed to support trade-driven growth in the sector encompassing market access, regional economic integration, and protection of natural resources.
“It therefore aims to support the South African Government’s objectives and priorities, such as sustainable management and use of natural resources, the provision of effective national regulatory services and risk management systems, as well as increased contribution of the sector to the country’s economic growth and development, job creation and food security.
“Furthermore, it will contribute to our capacity to maintain existing markets and ability to enter into new export markets for plants and plant products and thus have a positive impact on the South African economy,” Steenhuisen said on Monday.
The new Act will also serve to position South Africa as one of the key role players that will provide a more coordinated phytosanitary surveillance programme, preparedness, and quarantine pest prevention systems in order to maintain and expand its competitive position in the global trade arena. – SAnews.gov.za
Watch a Steenhuisen commends signing of Plant Health Bill related video:
Stunning South Africa:
MyPR.co.za offers free to publish press releases for your news site, blog or offline publication. Use the handy REPUBLISH facility or the Full Text RSS Feeds or just copy and paste.
Straton Electrical | Straton Solar | Straton Prepaid | Straton Plumbing | Straton IoT | Straton eBikes | BA Systems | Mbane Contracting | Reach Trust
The Howling Swede
USSR: You have two cows. But you wish this was not the case, because in Soviet Russia, cow milk you.
pyscho hun
Is SA\’s former President, Jacob Zuma still a free man?