By Lungile Ntimba
In an effort to combat plants pests that pose a threat on domestic agriculture, President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Plant Health Bill into law.
It outlines crucial measures to protect domestic agriculture and safeguard South Africa’s ability to export agricultural products.
The Bill seeks to repeals the Agricultural Pests Act of 1983, which up to now regulated the national plant health (phytosanitary) system.
The president’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said on Thursday the new legislation would provide for phytosanitary measures to prevent the introduction, establishment and spread of regulated pests to safeguard the country’s agriculture and plant natural resources.
It would also provide for the control of regulated pests, regulation of the movement of plants, plant products and other regulated articles into, within and out of the country.
This new law brings the country into compliance with the World Trade Organisation Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures as well as the International Plant Protection Convention.
Mangwenya said this would support the country’s efforts to enter new markets and maintain current export markets, which would have a positive impact on the agricultural sector in terms of job creation and sustainable use of land and other natural resources.
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