NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 31 – Cut rose flowers from Kenya and Ethiopia will be scrutinised more before accessing the European Union market.
According to the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya, the flowers will be checked 25 percent more starting this May.
The new measures follow the review of EU regulatory measures that sought to take precautionary measures over the false codling moth.
”FPEAK has been advised that the EU Member States representatives, meeting with the EU Commission in the EU Standing Committee SCOPAFF earlier this month have formally adopted the anticipated changes to the minimum percentage of plant health import inspections at EU borders of consignments of cut roses from Kenya and Ethiopia,” said FPEAK in a statement.
Last year, the European Food Safety Authority ran a publication on the risk posed by imports of rose-cut flowers, where Kenya and Ethiopia are the biggest exporters.
FPEAK says that the move is part of the annual review process under Commission Implementing Regulation 2022/2389 that lays out the rules for the uniform application of frequency rates for plant health checks.
