Exporters to get sh1.3b laboratory
Apr 09, 2008
THE Government is constructing a sh1.3b laboratory for testing agricultural exports and imports. The lab is composed of the post-entry quarantine and the pesticide residue and analytical facilities.
By Vision Reporter
THE Government is constructing a sh1.3b laboratory for testing agricultural exports and imports.
The construction is co-funded by the Danish International Development Agency, said Robert Karyeija, the principal agricultural inspector at the Agricultural Engineering and Appropriate Technology Research Institute in Namalere.
“Food and Agricultural Organisation is also contributing $233,000 for equipping the laboratory.
“We expect it to be opened by President Yoweri Museveni next year,†he said in interview over the weekend.
The lab, he said, was composed of the post-entry quarantine and the pesticide residue and analytical facilities.
“The post-entry laboratory will be used to test pests and diseases for agricultural produce especially those for exports and imported goods. This is to ensure that our agricultural products for export meet international standards,†Karyeija explained.
“The laboratory has started with looking at fungal problems of crops but the rest including testing for bacteria, micro-plasms and testing plants for nematodes has not gone far since construction is still going on.â€
He said the pesticide residue and analytical laboratory would cater for the safety of what locals eat.
Karyeija said when the lab was operational, it would come with a country residue monitoring plan to collect samples of pesticides to find out how much each district was using and how safe was the food produced.
“This will result into the enactment of a plan to regulate use of pesticides especially with agricultural export.
“If they are found to be below the required standards then we stop its use,†he added.
THE Government is constructing a sh1.3b laboratory for testing agricultural exports and imports.
The construction is co-funded by the Danish International Development Agency, said Robert Karyeija, the principal agricultural inspector at the Agricultural Engineering and Appropriate Technology Research Institute in Namalere.
“Food and Agricultural Organisation is also contributing $233,000 for equipping the laboratory.
“We expect it to be opened by President Yoweri Museveni next year,†he said in interview over the weekend.
The lab, he said, was composed of the post-entry quarantine and the pesticide residue and analytical facilities.
“The post-entry laboratory will be used to test pests and diseases for agricultural produce especially those for exports and imported goods. This is to ensure that our agricultural products for export meet international standards,†Karyeija explained.
“The laboratory has started with looking at fungal problems of crops but the rest including testing for bacteria, micro-plasms and testing plants for nematodes has not gone far since construction is still going on.â€
He said the pesticide residue and analytical laboratory would cater for the safety of what locals eat.
Karyeija said when the lab was operational, it would come with a country residue monitoring plan to collect samples of pesticides to find out how much each district was using and how safe was the food produced.
“This will result into the enactment of a plan to regulate use of pesticides especially with agricultural export.
“If they are found to be below the required standards then we stop its use,†he added.