Fresh exports get boost as Kephis to monitor EU sales

Kenya’s fresh produce will access the lucrative European Union (EU) market with more ease following the re-accreditation of the national laboratory for testing conformity on pesticide residue levels.

The Kenya Plant Inspectorate Service (Kephis) laboratory has been re-accredited by the South African National Accreditation Service to certify the horticultural produce exported to Europe meets the set international standards.

The laboratory had faced some challenges with the testing of produce on failing to meet the set standard in August last year, a move that nearly locked horticultural produce from Kenya to the EU market.

The facility had been accredited by the same body in 2014 but it had to undergo another process to verify Kenya’s compliance to the international standards on the pesticide residue levels.

“Kephis Analytical Chemistry Laboratory has been given a clean bill of health to test for pesticide residues in horticultural produce destined for major markets such as the European Union,” said Kephis managing director Esther Kimani.

Dr Kimani noted that the re-evaluation would go a long way in promoting the horticulture sector as fresh produce heading to EU meets the global standards on safety.

The approval means the laboratory’s competency has been verified and the pesticide residue monitoring programme that is key to EU exports meets the requirements of obtaining reliable and valid data.  

Kenya’s produce such as beans and peas exported in pods have recently been under increased scrutiny due to excess pesticides that nearly locked Kenya’s exports to the EU market.

Last year, EU lifted a mandatory checks requirement on Kenya’s beans entering its market, easing a logistics burden that had undermined the country’s emerging export segment.

The EU imposed a 10 per cent check on consignments of beans with pods in late 2012 after it accused Kenyan farmers of exceeding the permitted levels of pesticide residue.

Kenya exports most of her flowers, fruits and vegetables to EU market, which saw the country earn Sh90 billion in 2014 on foreign exchange.

Kephis in collaboration with the horticulture industry is implementing a national programme which aims at ensuring early detection of pesticide residue and address the challenges before the produce gets to the market.

Kenya has banned the use of some chemicals on farms and stepped up inspections to avoid increased sanctions on its fresh produce exports to Europe.