By Robert Hart, Staff ReporterSOME 200 local food exporters will have to seek Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification if they want to export to the United States after December 12, says Dr. Omer Thomas, executive director of the Jamaica Bureau of Standards.
Speaking to The Gleaner on Saturday, Dr. Thomas suggested that the US Government's move to implement new import regulations under its 2002 Bioterrorism Act, will cost the Jamaican manufacturing industry in the short term.
"There are going to be some logistical problems in the beginning, especially for processed foods," Dr. Thomas said. He explained that the soon-to-be implemented regulations under the Bioterrorism Act meant that local exporters would have to re-tool to ensure that their products conform with the 'stringent' requirements.
And JAMPRO (Jamaica Promotions Corporation), the government's economic promotion agency, has announced the formation of a multi-agency task force to help prepare Jamaican exporters to meet the requirements of the two sections of the Bioterrorism Act, which directly impacts on the local food export industry. The Act was designed as a response to the rise in the terrorist threat to the US, since September 11, 2001. The two sections which will affect Jamaican exporters are the Registration of Food Facilities and the Prior Notice of Imported Food Shipments.
The multi-agency task force is made up of the Jamaica Exporters' Association, the Jamaica Manufacturers' Association, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, the Shipping Association of Jamaica, the Customs Brokers' Association of Jamaica, the Freight Forwarders' Associa-tion, JAMPRO and the Bureau of Standards. Together the organisations have "embarked on a campaign to alert the local export sector and related interests, and assist in the registration process."
According to Dr. Thomas, only four of some 200 local food exporters now have HACCP certification. HACCP certification means it has been determined that the company's product is at least 90 per cent satisfactorily protected from biohazard.
Jamaican exporters of juices, jams and jellies, syrups and spirits are among those Dr. Thomas expects to be hampered by the new regulations monitoring foods imported to the US.
