Authors : Babar Ehsan Bajwa, Muhammad Sohail Mazhar and Saqib Ali
Abstract: In recent years, the concept of food quality and safety has been intensively traded and the consumer’s level of conscious towards ‘safe’ consumption of fresh produce has risen. Accordingly, the sources of supply of fresh produce and the chains through where the high value horticultural commodities are handled and processed have attempted to improve their production, handling and processing systems to match with the demands of their deserving markets and consumers. In this context, capacity building of the fresh produce supply chain stakeholders in the developing countries which are the source of fresh produce for rest of world becomes an area of prime importance. Phytosanitary risk management program is being implemented in Pakistan, since, 2014. The program, among other research and development chapters, include capacity building of the national plant protection organizations alongside improving the capacity of research, academia, development sectors and the fresh produce industry in the area of Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) compliance in fresh produce supply chains. A group of master trainers was developed by organizing a walk the chain learning experience in a well-structured horticultural industry in South Africa. The master trainers developed a training manual and generated learning guides and conducted follow on stakeholder’s trainings in whole-of-the-chain context for hundreds of the industry participants. The training program has been acknowledged by the beneficiaries as a complete package for orientation of the fresh produce supply chains, from the point of production to the point of retail, to cater the food compliant of the current food quality and safety requirements. An assessment is being conducted to evaluate the environmental, social and economical impact of the training program for development of future investment priorities in the area.
Babar Ehsan Bajwa, Muhammad Sohail Mazhar and Saqib Ali, 2017. SPS Compliance in Fresh Produce Supply Chains: An Integrated Approach for Food Quality and Safety Assurance. Journal of Food Technology, 15: 7-16.