Minutes of the Fresh Produce Importers Association General Meeting held on 4 March 2011 at 10:00 at Lemoenkloof Guest House, Paarl

AGENDA / MINUTES
1.Opening and welcoming
2.Attendance / Chairperson: Malan - Fruits Unlimited
See attached attendance list.
3. General Administration
3.1.Members and focus groups / 1. Registered members:
  1. Bakkavor
  2. Eurafruit
  3. Fruit and Veg
  4. Fruits Unlimited
  5. Hydroberry
  6. Lebombo Cape
  7. Novasun
  8. Peninsula Horti
  9. SAFE
  10. SAPEX
  11. United Exports
  12. Vitanova
  13. Westfalia
  14. Fresh Produce Exporters Forum (reciprocal membership) - payment and registration in progress
Also, freight forwarders/ clearing agents may be allowed to become FPIA members.
4. Six focus groups exist, namely
  1. Banana
  2. Citrus Fruit
  3. Deciduous Fruit and Table Grapes
  4. Exotic Fruit
  5. Subtropical Fruit
  6. Vegetables
Each focus group prioritizes its new and existing market issues for engagement with government regulatory services.
3.2. Member communication / Confidentiality clause in Articles of Association included.
3.3.Marketing and media / 1. Fruit Journal - FPIA article in April/May edition
2. FPIA GM will coordinate with FPEF and approach dti for funding and FPIA desk at 2012 Fruit Logistika.
3. FEPEX Spain approached FPIA to participate in EXPO in Spain in October 2011. FPIA exhibit provided funding can be arranged.
3.4.FPIA Logo / Finalised.
3.5. Website / Working towards end March
4. Budget and fees
4.1.Membership fees / 1. Normal membership:
A once-off entry fee of R10 000 is payable upon registration.
Membership fees amounts to an annual membership fee of R5 000 for 2011 plus a variable levy per kilogram imported to be decided at the general meeting on 4 March 2011 and thereafter determined on an annual basis.
Levy per kilogram is calculated based on the previous year's import figures:
If 3 retailers join FPIA = 10c/kg
If 4 retailers join FPIA = 5c/kg
If 5 retailers join FPIA = 3-4c/kg
2. Retail Membership:
Amounts to R120 000 per annum (payable at R10 000 per month)
3. Associated Membership fees:
A once-off entry fee of R10 000 is payable upon registration plus an annual membership fee of R5 000 for 2011. Add clause in Articles to restrict use of FPIA information.
4.2. Registration and payment process update / See updated membership list in 3.1.
5. Priorities and Protocols
5.1. Importers’ Agenda – new imports / Banana Mozambique
Citrus Fruit China, Morocco, Mozambique
Table grapes India, Italy, Turkey and Brazil
Deciduous Fruit - Stone fruit Italy
Exotic Fruit – Blueberries Spain, Morocco
Exotic Fruit – Blackberries Mexico
Subtropical Fruit - Mango Brazil
Subtropical Fruit - Avocado Morocco, Tanzania
Subtropical Fruit - Litchi China
Vegetables – peas China
5.2. Importers” Agenda – existing imports / Banana Mozambique, Zimbabwe (B invadens)
Citrus Fruit Egypt (revision pest list)
Table grapes Spain (mites), Egypt (mites) and California(L botrana)
Deciduous Fruit - Stone fruit Spain (M fructicola)
Deciduous Fruit – apples PNW (mealybugs)
Exotic Fruit – Strawberries Egypt (quality)
Subtropical Fruit - Kiwi fruit Italy (mites & thrips), New Zealand
Subtropical Fruit All hosts of B invadens from infested countries in Africa
Vegetables All hosts of B invadens from infested countries in Africa
5.3. PRA process and expected time-lines – FPIA protocol / 1. FPIA – DAFF Protocol on PRA to address:
Pest risk analysis – faster development of new imports conditions (aim 4-6 months)
Average estimate R30 000 per PRA depending commodity and country involved
Import conditions – improved local market standards, revision of oldconditions that leads to interceptions
Communication – improved consultation and inputs on SA import priority list (transparency)
5.4. DAFF protocols for turn-around times relating to interceptions / 1. DAFF Interception protocol awaited to address:
• Diagnostic services – Pest specific time-frames (5 – 15 days)
• Risk based decision-making – 24 hours
• Plant Health and APIS - await commitments on turn-around times and procedure from APIS; FPIA to engage Director APIS
• Record-keeping and communication – suspension of imports, bilateral notifications of non-compliance, revision of import conditions
2. Met DD Diagnostic and Quarantine Services (DQS) to discuss diagnostic capacities. Case studies/ incidents reported to DD DQS for internal audits and use as portfolio of evidence at other forums ie Phyto risk meeting.
3. DQS confirm outsourcing to other laboratories is allowed if ARC capacity not enough.
6. Specific issues
6.1. Customs Clearance / 1. Customs Modernization Programme launched October 2010.
2. FPIA GM will follow-up with SARS and provide feedback. Problems reported during roll-out phase will help detect systemic issues in the Programme.
3. Members are encouraged to submit specific problems via FPIA GM office, for case specific feedback
6.2. Revision of existing import conditions / Egypt citrus - expect changes in the near future
6.3. Bactrocera invadens update / 1. Host material of Bactrocera invadens ( banana, mango, cucurbits, melons, tomatoes, peppers) from Mozambique, Kenya, Zambia, Ghana, Tanzania, Namibia and Botswana since 2007/8
2. Mozambique trapping in Southern area to establish pest free area. DAFF inspect and evaluate protocol (2009/10). FPIA provides inputs and supports process (January 2011). SA to recognize Mozambique pest free area status and resume imports (2011) under new bilateral protocol
6.4. Spain stone fruit update / Prunus spp imports from Spain due to Monilinia fructicola (quarantine fungus causing brown rot). Interceptions since 2008 with up to 4 week delays for diagnostic testing.
Spain loses pest free area status in 2010 and FPIA intervenes November 2010. Spain and SA diagnostic laboratories engage (Nov 2010)
Bilateral meeting February 2011 and Spain submitted alternative systems approach. DAFF currently evaluating the proposed alternative mitigation. Both countries' plant health authorities committed to have issue resolved and amended import conditions in place before next import season starts.
6.5. Spain and Egypt grapes - Colomerus occulivitis mite survey / Colomerus occulivitis (bud mite) on grapes from Spain and Egypt with interceptions since 2010. Up to
4 week delays for diagnostic testing and risk management decision-making.
Egypt gave no feedback after DAFF requested more information.
Spain indicated that they do not have enough technical data.
SA experts suspects Colomerus vitis (bud mite) strain may be the same organism as the intercepted Colomerus occulivitis but the only way to know for sure is through a survey. During official bilateral meeting in February 2011 DAFF confirm that a survey must be done.
FPIA engages ARC and DAFF in January 2011to determine requirements and protocol for survey. DAFF indicated that funding for diagnostic work will only be available in 2013. Survey budget amounts to R48 147. FPIA members requested to contribute - to date 5 commitments to still need approximately R23000.
6.6. Phyto Risk Meeting / FPIA will attend from March 2011
7. Other Matters
7.1.Research capacities in SA / Establishment of the Centre of Phytosanitary Excellence in Kenya to be investigated to determine if similar Centre can be established in SA, or for the SADC region. Investigate opportunities to establish/ provide study bursaries to support trade related research.
9. Next meeting date and venue / June/ July in Gauteng