The demand for food security and checking for pesticide residues or aggressive fruit flies plays an important part in importing fruit and vegetables into Europe. Especially products from Pakistan are considered interesting and desired for import. Because of its wide range of different agricultural products, Pakistan has provided a decisive competitive advantage. More and more countries from Europe or the Far East are interested in the country's products. For example, already large quantities of Pakistani mangoes and kinnow are being exported to Russia.
Thies Claussen of the Eurofins Global Control GmbH
Thies Claussen of the Eurofins Global Control GmbH explains: "Pakistan's market force harbors great potential. This potential can be expanded further. Firstly through the acquisition of new knowledge of the international markets and the setting up and expansion of supply chains. But also through adherence to the rules of food safety and sorting, as well as consideration of the supermarket standards.
Product quality is increasing
Furthermore, the quality of Pakistani products could clearly be increased by the increased deployment of refrigerated vehicles, the setting up of chill chains in many different parts of the country as well as efficient processing of agricultural products, says the expert. Furthermore, by improving the value chain, they could satisfy the increased demand for fruit and vegetables and the increased nutritional awareness of Pakistan.
This is exactly the job that Eurofins Global Control GmbH has devoted itself to together with Pakistani partner SCBS Pvt Ltd (SCBS = Supply Chain Business Solution). With the help of first-class knowledge of various food safety standards and product-specific after-treatment of the harvest all across the value chain, Eurofins and SCBS promote the growing of high-quality fruit and vegetables by local producers.
"It is important to install a complete and perfect cooling chain"
Eurofins has furthermore introduced the concept of a "farm-to-fork" supply chain that is oriented to the target market. "Because each product inevitably gets exposed to endogenous microbial activities, it is all the more important to install a complete and perfect cooling chain" says Thies Claussen. "This form of supply chain helps to reduce current activities in the future." The Pakistani firm SCBS is involved in integrating new business forms in large horticulture companies. The focus of SCBS is particularly on...
- ...the integration of processing facilities, by contract farming and setting up of own model companies, to manage the quality and availability of the right products.
- ...the implementation of first-class applications for the harvest after-treatment and the classification and sorting for compliance with international logistic- and processing requirements.
- ...setting up traceability-systems. From the end product back to the producers.
- ...the preservation of seals of certification and approval, food safety and adherence to quality standards (ISO, BRC, HACCP, JICA, IFS, etc.), supported by product tests conducted by QS-certified laboratories. Herein, Eurofins is testing Pakistani products micro-biologically, for residues from agrochemicals and for their nutritional value.
- ...the development of product specific food safety standards within cooling chains.
Eliminating risks
"Eurofins is helping Pakistan's local industry in establishing processes that manage the usage of pesticides at the plant level. The goal and approach are compliance with maximum residue values while using pesticides within the value chain," Claussen explains. Through a far-reaching wealth of experience, the company has developed a large database of proactive and reactive measures, meant to eliminate any possible danger. "The close cooperation between Eurofins and SCBS makes it possible for our customers to actively insert and establish themselves on the European and international markets," Claussen continues.
Facilitation for the producers
The local plant protection authorities are actively involved in the process. "The authority integrated into our work is actively involved in improving the country's harvest yield and to protect the producer's harvest from insects, diseases and weeds," he explains. Through permanent monitoring of the grasshopper populations, pest control, various quarantine measures for raw agricultural resources and monitoring the pesticide import, the producers' work should be facilitated and made easier. Furthermore, people are working together actively on implementing checks at Pakistan's most important export sites.
Contact:
Thies Claussen
Eurofins Global Control GmbH
Neuländer Kamp 1, 21079 Hamburg
Deutschland;
Tel. +4940492943459
thiesclaussen@eurofins.de
www.eurofins.de
Nadeem Akbar Khan
SCBS Pvt. Ltd.
113/1, C Block, Model Town
Lahore, Pakistan
Mobil. +923008242683
nadeem@supplychain.pk
www.supplychain.pk