The majority of refusal notices issued for imported fresh produce are not the result of product quality, but of labelling defects, according to the RPA HMI.

Statistical information gathered on refusal notices issued for regulated fresh produce at the point of import over the past two years shows that 70 per cent of the action taken has been for labelling defects, a report by the Horticultural Marketing Inspectors said.

From September 11, HMI will carry out an enforcement action on labelling issues, to help importers and marketing agents alleviate this problem and improve compliance.

Horticultural Marketing Inspections are based on risk analysis, so an improvement in compliance will result in reductions in enforcement inspections and an improvement in an individual importer’s risk status.

After September 11, an immediate Refusal of Entry Notice (HCG 3) will be issued against a consignment where labels do not carry the following information: class;

country of origin; commodity (where the contents are not visible from the outside of the box); variety (where this is a requirement of the standard); packer identity and address.

Where any other aspect of the labelling regulations are missing, the importer will, on the first occasion of the omission, be warned that the consignment will not be refused entry, but the defect will be noted on HMI IT systems.

If the same defect is repeated for subsequent consignments, they will be refused entry and an HCG 3 will be issued.

The only exception to this will be where consignments are already packed and 'on the water' so cannot be changed.

The RPA said the US was the worst offender for labelling problems, with Ghana,

Kenya, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Thailand and India also guilty of non-compliance.

The labelling clampdown has not been prompted by any changes in regulation but a recognition of the need for an enforcement of the European marketing standards that have been in place for 30 years, the agency added.

The labelling requirements for each commodity subject to the Marketing Standards are available for reference through the RPA website.

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