The South African Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs, Thoko Didiza, has appointed a new board for the Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB).
Eleven new board members have been elected to serve for a period of three years, with Anton du Preez (deciduous industry) elected as chairman and Andile Hawes (citrus industry) elected as vice-chairman at their first meeting on October 6.
Following the meeting du Preez said: “The appointment of the new board introduces an era during which PPECB will revise its future role and scope of activities. It is necessary for South Africa to consider the implications of food safety and traceability concerns locally and abroad. PPECB needs to continue to provide world class services of certification and quality assurance in the total cold chain of fresh produce.”
In a recent meeting held between PPECB and the National Department of Agriculture (NDA) the director general Bongi Njobe suggested that the establishment of a South African Food Safety Agency was imminent and that PPECB could play an integral role. She said: “There is a lot of dynamism for the future and it is time to look at a new mandate for PPECB and its future in agriculture.”
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