The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
To enforce the surveillance on aflatoxins, all importers of maize will have to be registered in the next two months
Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | Kenya plans to heighten surveillance of aflatoxin on maize imports from the east African region, an official said on Wednesday.
Lawrence Omuhaka, chief administrative secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, livestock and Fisheries told journalists in Nairobi that continuous testing of maize from East African Community (EAC) member states indicates high level of aflatoxins beyond permissible maximum limits.
“While we strive to give Kenyans safe foods by addressing the various challenges in the production systems, we equally expect our trading partners to trade in safe maize as per the EAC standards that the maximum limit of aflatoxins to be at 10 parts per billion,” Omuhaka said during the launch of the report on the revitalization of cotton and pyrethrum value chains.
Omuhaka said that in order to enforce the surveillance on aflatoxins, all importers of maize will have to be registered in the next two months.
He noted that all imported maize consignments will be required to be accompanied by a certificate of conformity of the produce issued by a competent authority from the exporting country which will be verified by the crop inspectors at all Kenyan border points.
The ministry of agriculture also urged the member states of the economic bloc to fast-track the ratification EAC sanitary and phytosanitary protocol.
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Xinhua
Listening to discussions about Ugandan maize one just gets alarmed about the indifference of our folk towards safety
as we look for Bran to feed our animals , we note presence of heavy trucks packed by the stores/mills, “these are taking for export”
So there is no effort to determine what is going out?
wait a minute Ministry of Agriculture, Trade and Health:
1. What is the chemical being used to dry maize “very fast”?
2. How is the maize dried and or stored at the farm?
3. How much aflatoxin remains among the machines as the flour is being prepared (this process involves a washing stage?
4. Is it true some, spray food in storage?
Next the traders claim , no one has fallen sick, i pray no sane person will capitalise this for the sake of becoming popular
So what is the source of food for schools and institutions?
At some point you hear a confident educated person claiming; i like attending incubation activity at institution X because they can get me the “Standards label”!!