Slow progress on WTO pledges while deadline looms

Slow progress on WTO pledges while deadline looms(Kathmandu Post,Apr 17,2012)

With the deadline to fulfil the agriculture-related commitments Nepal made during its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) coming closer, government officials said that work on all laboratory accreditation and pest risk analysis to facilitate trade was progressing slowly.
Nepal has to enforce WTO provisions like border quarantine certification, traceability and food standard certification including a review of existing laws and regulations to ensure compliance with several technical agreements affecting trade in agricultural goods before entering the full-fledged multilateral trade regime from 2013.
According to officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC), although Nepali exporters are required to fulfil all the quarantine certification, traceability and food standard certification among other trade obligations, it has been unable to meet the basic WTO border compliance requirements on the import side.
“Lack of accreditation lab facilities, reluctance of Nepali customs to ensure a certain degree for traceability and pest risk analysis and pressure from business entrepreneurs has favoured import without restraints,” the MoAC source said. 
However, all the goods and agro commodities have to pass border quarantine certification and food standard certification according to Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, an international treaty of the WTO.
As of now, there are 16 crop quarantine offices, 29 animal quarantine check posts and quarantine labs in Tatopani, Kakkarbhitta, Birgunj and Mahendranagar.
The MoAC spokesperson admitted that the deadline was near, however, Nepal still has a long way to go to fulfil the WTO commitments to enter the full-fledged multilateral trade regime. Nepal’s inability to meet the WTO’s border compliance requirements could be a major setback for export of its farm products.
Sources said that although sizeable funds and manpower have been allocated for the purpose, the result has not been good so far. The WTO has two major agreements in the agriculture sector — the Agriculture Agreement (AA) and the Agreement on SPS.
Under the AA, WTO members have to reduce their subsidies given to agriculture; however, since Nepal provides limited subsidies, it is not required to meet the obligation. But the SPS is an agreement concerned with the application of food safety and animal and plant health regulations which has set the basic standards. According to the ministry, the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) has been designated as the National SPS Enquiry Point. 
Jeevan Prabha Lama, director general of the DFTQC, said lack of advanced technology and manpower had affected full-fledged testing of any imported goods. “Despite technology and efficient manpower, we are carrying out minor sampling as per the recommendation of the custom offices,” Lama said. 
According to her, Tatopani Customs has food, animal and plant quarantine, but they are being handled by a single person. Tatopani is the second largest import border after Birgunj.
Although the MoAC has been entrusted to finalize policies and acts regarding food safety, quality, feed, slaughter houses, animal husbandry and veterinary drugs to ensure Nepal meets the WTO standards regarding food safety and health, sources said it was progressing at a sluggish pace.