EU Extends Ban on Importation of Beans from Nigeria by Three Years

The European Union, EU, has extended the ban it placed in June 2015 on the importation of beans from Nigeria by three years.

The Coordinating Director, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, NAQS, Vincent Isegbe, who spoke on Thursday, June 9, stated that the ban extension came when the Federal Government and its relevant agencies were working to ensure that the June deadline to lift the ban was met.

The EU had banned the produce on the ground that it contained high level of pesticide considered dangerous to human health.

Isegbe quoted the official journal of the EU of accusing Nigeria of not doing enough to lift the ban during the period of suspension

“The continued presence of dichlorvos (pesticide) in dried beans imported from Nigeria and maximum residue levels of pesticides shows that compliance with food law requirement as regards pesticide residual cannot be achieved in the short term.”

“The duration of the importation prohibition should therefore be extended for an additional period of three years to allow Nigeria implement the appropriate risk-management measure and provide required guarantees.”