Global food security and biodiversity are threatened by infectious plant pests, which together with plant diseases are responsible for the loss of up to 40% of the world’s food crops.
In fact, trade losses, for this reason, exceed US$22 billion per year.
In view of the above, the United Nations body, the Committee on Phytosanitary Measures, launched a focus group of experts of phytosanitary interest to examine possible contamination by harmful organisms in sea containers.
Recognising the need for supply chain input, they asked the industry to form a Container Cleaning Industry Advisory Group (CCIAG) to provide advice, suggestions and recommendations on:
- cleanliness of the interior and exterior of intermodal freight containers and their loads
- pest contamination risks in the international containerized supply chain
“We are pleased to report that our application to join the CCIAG has been accepted,” International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA) announced.
“Managing contaminating pests is best approached through collective effort that includes plant protection, industry and other stakeholders. Critically, ICHCA’s role is to work with stakeholder partners to ensure safety is ‘baked in’ to the delivery of practical and sustainable outcomes,” said the association.
The next steps for ICHCA include an international workshop on reducing the introduction of pests via the sea container route, in London in September.
