New Delhi: Bangladesh is preparing to import 50,000 metric tonnes of rice from Pakistan through a government-to-government (G2G) agreement, with officials expected to sign the deal during the first week of July to build public food stocks and stabilise domestic prices.
However, the planned import has triggered debate because the European Union (EU) has previously rejected a number of Pakistani rice consignments over food safety concerns, according to a report in the Lisbon Post.
The most common reason behind these rejections has been the detection of pesticide residues above the EU’s Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs).
The EU maintains some of the strictest pesticide regulations in the world to protect consumers from prolonged exposure to agricultural chemicals.
“Every imported food product is subject to laboratory testing, and shipments exceeding these legal limits can be refused entry, returned to the exporting country, or destroyed,” the report said.
Another major concern has been aflatoxin contamination. Aflatoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by fungi that may develop during poor storage, transportation, or processing of grains.
Scientific research has shown that prolonged exposure to excessive aflatoxin can damage the liver and increase the risk of liver cancer. Because of these health risks, the EU enforces strict maximum limits on aflatoxin levels in imported rice and other food commodities.
European authorities have also rejected some Pakistani rice shipments because of documentation problems, traceability failures, improper labeling, or non-compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary regulations.
Under EU law, exporters must clearly demonstrate the origin of food products, maintain detailed production records, and certify compliance with food safety requirements.
Failure to satisfy these administrative requirements can result in shipments being blocked even if laboratory results do not reveal significant contamination.
Against this backdrop, food safety experts stress that price should not be the only consideration when importing a staple food consumed daily by millions of Bangladeshis.
They said that every shipment entering Bangladesh should undergo comprehensive laboratory testing for pesticide residues, aflatoxins, heavy metals, and other contaminants before being released into the local market.
Independent quality verification is particularly important whenever imported food originates from consignments or supply chains that have previously faced international scrutiny, the article added.
(IANS)
