Post-Harvest Profile of Grapes - Agmarknet

4.3.1 SANITARY AND PHYTO-SANITARY (SPS) REQUIREMENTS:
The Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary (SPS) measures are an integral part of export
and import trade under WTO. The aim of the agreement is to prevent risk of
introduction of new pests and diseases in new regions i.e. importing countries. As per
provisions made under this agreement, the standards framed should be such that the
minimum level of protection required by an importing country should be fulfilled. In
order to achieve this objective, the agreement provided setting up of international
standards and guidelines under the aegis of Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex).
Under the joint aegis of FAO/WHO, guidelines and related texts such as Codex Code
of Practices was finalised. Food standard programmes were aimed to protect health of
the consumers and ensuring fair trade practices in the food trade as well as to
promote co-ordination of all food standards work undertaken by international
government and non-government organisation.
The SPS agreement applies to all Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary measures,
which may directly or indirectly, affect international trade. Sanitary measures deal with
human or animal health, and Phyto-Sanitary measures are related to plant health.
SPS measures are applied in four situations for the protection of human, animal
or plant health:
‣ Risks arising from the entry, establishment or spread of pests, diseases, diseasecarrying
organisms or disease causing organisms.
‣ Risks coming from additives, contaminants, toning or disease-causing organisms
in foods, beverages or feedstuffs.
‣ Risks arising from diseases carried by animals, plants or products thereof, or from
the entry, establishment or spread of pests.
‣ Prevention or limitation of damage caused by the entry, establishment or spread of
pests.
4.3.2 EXPORT PROCEDURES:
Export process followed by Mahagrapes for export of grapes:
1. Importer-Exporter code (IE code) number is to be obtained from the Director
General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
2.
Register with the concerned Export Council/Authority e.g. Agricultural and
Processed Food Export Development Authority (APEDA) to obtain registration
cum membership certificate and it is also required to obtain permissible benefit
from government.
3. Quality of grapes is to be assessed by inspecting agency to obtain the certificate.
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