(3 minutes read)
France wants to export cereals to Africa on April 25 and is pretty sure of achieving that target. While the government wants to be reassuring, producers and traders fear that they will no longer be able to use an insecticide (phosphine) in direct contact with the grains. This might delay the shipment of the orders, traders apprehend
France wants to export cereals to Africa on April 25 and is pretty sure of achieving that target. While the government wants to be reassuring, producers and traders fear that they will no longer be able to use an insecticide (phosphine) in direct contact with the grains. This might delay the shipment of the orders, traders apprehend.
Both the foreign and agriculture ministers are hopeful of meeting the deadline for exports, but traders are apprehensive about that. The catch is a decision by the French Health Security Agency (Anses), issued in October 2022. The decision does not authorize, from April 25, the use of PH3 insecticide (or phosphine) in the fumigation of the holds of ships on condition that it is not “in direct contact with cereals”.
Traders maintain that if no decision is taken to overrule this requirement, before April 25, they will no longer be able to export to countries such as Togo, Cameroon, Algeria, or Egypt, which require in their specifications that fumigation should be in direct contact with grains,
Traders point out that other countries like Belgium, Germany, and all the other European countries have reauthorized the use of direct fumigation, except France. France is the fourth largest wheat exporter in the world. If this requirement is not annulled, traders apprehend that they may no longer be able to deliver to their customers. which would have a serious impact on global food security, and importantly, the trade balance of France. France exported 11.5 billion euros in 2022 through cereal exports.
The government assured that it would seek legal solutions to circumvent this constraint and will continue to export cereals. It expects by April 25, the deadline for exports, the legal opinion would be received to overcome the stalemate.
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Until now, insecticide tablets have been placed directly on grain shipments. But because of the restrictions, the placement of insecticide tablets is not allowed. Although it is technically possible to perform the fumigation indirectly by placing the tablets in a box or pierced pocket, this process is refused by certain third countries on the plea that they do not have the capacity to reprocess packaging considered to be toxic waste.
