Implementation of GAP in the Fresh Fruit

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Implementation of GAP in the Fresh Fruit
Vegetable Sector in Malaysia
FAO- Thailand Workshop on Good Agricultural
Practices (GAP) for Fresh Fruit and
Vegetables14th 15th September 2005Bangkok,
Thailand

• Presented By
• Sathianathan Menon
• qa plus asia-pacific sdn.bhd.
• Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA

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Fruit and Vegetable Industry under NAP3

• Basic policies and strategies are outlined to
  address issues encountered by the FFV industry
• Amplified by the Ministry of Agriculture and
  Agro-based Industries through its key agencies
• NAP3 targets to achieve near self sufficiency
  levels for fruits and vegetables in 2010.

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Fruit Vegetables Development Strategies under
NAP3 (1998-2010)

• Increasing efficiency productivity
• Rationalizing resource use
• Strengthening Competitiveness
• Strengthening Economic Foundation
• Strategic Sourcing

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Drivers for implementing GAP Schemes in Malaysia

• Food safety concerns
• Worker welfare
• International market demands
• Competitiveness
• Improved acceptability
• In compliance with National Agricultural Policy

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Initiatives on GAP in Malaysia

• Implementation of SALM Scheme
• Development of Malaysian Standard
• MS 1784 2005 for Crop Commodities Good
  Agricultural Practice

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FARM ACCREDITATION SCHEME OF MALAYSIA(SALM)
Source Department of Agriculture, Malaysia
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SALM and Department of Agriculture

• SALM is a national program developed by the
  Department of Agriculture, Ministry of
  Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Malaysia.
• Implementation of the Scheme
• The scheme started from January 2002.

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WHAT IS SALM ?

• Objective
• A program to recognize and accredit farms that
  adopt Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), operate
  in a sustainable and an environmentally friendly
  way and yield produces that are of quality and
  safe for consumption

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FARM ASPECTS EVALUATED

• Legal Status of Farm
• Environmental Setting
• Agricultural Inputs For Production
• Agronomic Practices
• Waste Disposal Management
• Workers Welfare and Safety
• Quality of Farm Produces

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Problems Experienced in Implementation of SALM

• Documentation of procedures
• Understanding of GAP requirements
• Communicating objectives and requirements to
  workers
• Maintenance of records, traceability
• IPM
• Pesticide residue analysis
• Inadequate equipment
• Management of the system
• Cost of compliance

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Malaysian Standard on Good Agricultural Practice

• MS 17842005
• Developed by the Working Group on GAP for Crop
  Commodities
• Approved by the Department of Standards Malaysia,
  the national standardization and accreditation
  body
• In January 2005
• Secretariat is SIRIM Berhad

Source MS 17842005 issued by SIRIM
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Normative References for MS-GAP 17842005

• EUREPGAP Ver 2.0Jan-04 Control Points
  Compliance Criteria- Fruits Vegetable
• Malaysian Environment Quality Act 1974 and
  Environment Quality Regulations 1979
• Malaysian Pesticide Act 1974
• Malaysian Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985
• MS ISO/IEC 17025, General Requirements for the
  competence of testing and calibration
  laboratories

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Other MS-GAP Standards for specific crops-being
developed

• GAP standards for specific crop commodities based
  on Generic MS 17842005
• Crop commodities include Fruits Vegetables,
  Cocoa, Palm Oil, Rubber, Tea, Coffee, Pepper,
  Flowers
• Presently being developed by Technical Working
  Groups comprising experts for specific crops

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• Common misconceptions in implementing GAP
• Identified with increasing cost
• Farms may comply but do not get premiums
• Voluminous record-keeping/ paperwork
• Buyer market is not guaranteed

• In actual fact GAP contributes to
• Increase in productivity
• - efficient and effective use of agricultural
  inputs
• - improved morale of workers
• Product safety and quality

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Problems to implementation of GAP

• Insufficient awareness of the impact of
  agricultural practices on
• - the environment
• - climate
• - social worker welfare
• - food safety

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Grave need to increase this awareness

• Inform people, policy makers, agri-business heads
  and the public at large on the negative impacts
  of unhealthy agricultural practices

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Codes of Practice on GAP

• There a a number of codes of practice being
  developed by various institutions and
  organizations
• Leads to confusion as to which is preferred and
  may tend to deprecate some over others
• The code must not only benefit farmers
  producers but must be accepted by the trade

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What needs to be done

• Awareness seminars, workshops and conferences
• Capacity building at all levels in elements that
  contribute to GAP and standards
• Suitably trained personnel on agricultural
  auditing through conduct of proper recognized
  training programs which is presently lacking
• Local auditors would reduce cost of certification
• Simplifying documentation IT systems

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THANK YOU
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Kasah, Medan Damansara 50490 Kuala Lumpur Tel
603-20936195 Fax [phone] Website
www.qaplusasia.com E-mail qaplus_at_consultant.com