Hugh Martin ON AUGUST 6, 2002, the Plant Quarantine Division of the Ministry of Agriculture placed a ban on the importation into Jamaica of all agricultural produce grown in the state of Florida, USA. The ban was put in place after it was ascertained that the very dangerous pest, the Pink Mealybug, had been found on farms in that state in late June.
This, to my knowledge, is the first time that Jamaica has imposed such a ban on the mighty USA. Since there were numerous other occasions when this action could have been taken but was not it leads me to wonder about the real significance of the move at this time. It is true that the Pink Mealybug is a devastating pest of a wide range of ornamental and fruit trees and is very difficult to control. But so too is the Mediterranean fruit fly. We don't have that one in Jamaica either but from time to time we hear of outbreaks of it in Florida and California from which we import a considerable quantity of apples, plums and other such fruits. Each time such an outbreak occurred the local Quarantine body simply made inquiries about the extent of the infestation and the measures to contain it. Upon receiving assurances from their counterparts that it was confined to small areas and was under control normality was restored.
On the other hand Jamaica has the West Indian fruit fly and the US does not. So all of our fruits, which are susceptible to this pest, are banned from entering that country. Mango was an exception but it had to undergo special treatment to rid it of any insect or stage of the insect that might be present. For a while we had a lucrative market for mangoes in the US until the FDA banned the chemical used to treat the fruits. A hot water treatment method was developed but exporters found the costs involved prohibitive so that was that for the export of mangoes to the US.
The case of the ban on ackee, which lasted for twenty-eight years, is well known. This was lifted only after years of considerable research and scientific documentation proving to the FDA's satisfaction that the product was safe for consumption. In addition, bans have been placed on individual farms for reasons such as the alleged presence of fungi, insects or infinitesimal levels of pesticide residues, and entire shipments have been returned for the same reasons.
Only now has the Jamaican body mustered the courage to exercise its right and authority to protect the country from the possibility of the introduction of an unwanted pest from its big neighbour up north. This apparent reluctance (some may even say timidity) was never in evidence in relation to other countries. In fact swift action was taken against products from a large number of European and Central and South American countries in the Mad Cow disease and the Foot and Mouth scare of the past year or two ago.
I have a notion that I'm finding more and more seductive. When the Pink Mealybug first made its appearance in the Caribbean it began to spread rapidly from island to island. Each territory became quite frantic in the measures they adopted to prevent its introduction. The banning of imports of agricultural produce from infested countries was the first one to be applied. This is usually done only after it is ascertained that the pest is really present in the country and not before. Jamaica, being much further afield from the affected ones, was least likely to be affected. It readied itself nevertheless by invoking the usual alert and began a survey to determine if the pest had somehow sneaked in. Before it could be ascertained one way or the other, Cayman, close neighbour and traditional market for our farm produce, placed a ban on any further imports. This ban remained in place long after it was clear that there was not a trace of the pest here. That was an embarrassing situation for Jamaica and one now wonders if that could still be rankling in the minds of our plant quarantine personnel.
Whatever the motivation the Plant Quarantine Division must be commended for the action it has taken and for doing it in the appropriate manner. That is, by first making sure that the reports of infestation in Florida are factual. They are also checking if the other states from which we import fruits, vegetables, and planting material (California and Georgia) are affected. So far these states have not reported the presence of the pest and are not included in the ban. I wonder though if this is prudent. If the pest had been found in St. Thomas, say, and nowhere else, do you think St. Thomas alone would be the subject of the ban by the US if the situation were reversed? I don't and I won't accept any argument about size.
Had the ban been all-inclusive as I think it should be the Jamaican vegetable farmers would have got a much needed reprieve even for a short period and we would see a lot more local fruits and vegetables on the supermarket and green grocery shelves. Admittedly, the cosmetic appearance would have taken a dive but many consumers would have been forced to experience once again the superior taste of our locally grown produce.
Let us face it; many countries, the US included, use various forms of non-tariff measures to give their local producers the edge. We have been reluctant to use them even those allowed by the WTO and it is our farmers and the farming sector that have suffered as a result.
The ban is on imports of agricultural produce and planting materials grown in the state of Florida. The authorities responsible for the monitoring of these imports must bear in mind the 'ingenuity' of some Jamaican entrepreneurs and be ready to determine accurately the true origins of all the agricultural imports that will continue to come in.
Hugh Martin is a communications specialist and farm broadcaster. E-mail: humar@cwjamaica.com
