West Africa’s mango exporters to soon be hit by new sanitary directive regulating exports to EU  

Agriculture
Tuesday, 07 May 2019 15:11
West Africa’s mango exporters to soon be hit by new sanitary directive regulating exports to EU  

(Togo First) - From next September 1, the European Union’s new directive on mango imports will be applied. This was disclosed by the Europe-Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Liaison Committee (COLEACP) in a release dated April 29, 2019. 

According to the directive, mango exporters from West Africa, thus Togo, must verify that “the mango has been subjected to an effective treatment to ensure that is free from Tephritidae (ed. Note:  fruit flies), and the treatment data must be included in the phytosanitary certificate.”  

The move comes in response to high numbers of mangoes infected by the pest.

Another rule set by the COLEACP is that “the treatment method must be communicated (in written) to the European Commission by the exporting country’s national plant protection organization,” before the next mango season.

In West Africa, countries exporting mangoes to the EU are mainly Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Togo. They export the Kent variety which is the most sought after on the European market.

Regarding Togo, it produced 6,200 tons of mangoes in 2010, valued at €687,000 according to the ECOWAS. A very little output compared to neighbors like Nigeria, largest producer in the region, or Senegal which produced 18,395 tons in 2018.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

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