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Communications |
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Speech by the Hon. Francis Agius, during the seminar on plant health procedures in the framework phytosanitary acquis |
Date:
25/05/2004
It is my pleasure to address you for the first time as the Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Agriculture and fisheries. During this seminar I am sure that all of us are going to give out our knowledge in order to inform each other regarding the Health procedures in the framework of phytosanitary Acquis.
It is of great pleasure for me to see that the training of Plant Health staff is a result of this Twinning Project. This means that officials of the Department are in a better position to give more knowledgeable advice to growers, traders and other parties than before.
The procurement of equipment for the various laboratories is a result of this project means that the laboratories are in a better position to offer a greater range of tests to all concerned in this sector. This is important in order that the training of staff and the procurement of equipment would be used to better safeguard against the introduction of harmful organisms to plants.
When analysing what was done, we proudly pin point that the project helped in the update in the plant health legislation to be in line with the Acquis of the European Union, so that all operations carried out by the Department would be in line with those of other European Member States with which Malta deals most as regards agricultural produce.
Some of the experts who came along as part of this project visited various producers, nurseries, garden centres and warehouses and gave practical advice especially with regard to the plant pass porting system.
We are proud that this project gave an input in the safe use of pesticides and alternative uses of pest control methods as well as the determination of pesticide residues in food crops. This knowledge will benefit both the operators in their application of pesticides as well as the general consumer since we are all concerned about our health and we want to give the generations to come a nicer and healthier environment.
The project has set up the criteria to be adopted in the placing on the market of seeds and plant propagation material so that the producer would benefit from the availability of only good quality seeds and propagation material.
Experts assigned on this project have also assisted in setting up a more efficient method for the registration of pesticides and for the movement of produce to and from the other Member States.
Malta in the last 25 days started to experience the new reality as members in the European Union. This is the tip of the iceberg and that is why we have to strive and work hard in order to take all the opportunities that the European Union offers in this sector.
I would like to thank all the participants that are taking part this seminar and all the people that dedicated and contributed most of their time in order to improve this sector and department. I am sure that if we look towards the future with determination and continue to explore all possibilities, we will continue to succeed.
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