Wednesday, Apr 26, 2017

Dubai

Prices of certain fruits and vegetable may go up if the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment’s (MOCCAE) proposed ban on imports comes into effect next month.

On Monday, the ministry issued an advisory that it will ban imports of certain vegetables and fruits from Egypt, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon and Yemen due to excess levels of pesticide residues found in some products from these countries.

According to the ministry, the ban will come into effect from May 15, 2017 on the imports of all varieties of pepper from Egypt as well as pepper, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, squash, beans and eggplant from Jordan.

Imports of apples from Lebanon and melons, carrots and watercress from Oman and all types of fruit from Yemen are also banned.

“Jordan is a very important country as far as vegetable imports are concerned, most of the cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, beans and eggplant we sell are imported from Jordan and a ban means we have to look for alternative sources and this could result in higher demand for the alternatives, leading to a jump in prices,” said Rashid Ahmad, who is a wholesaler and retailer of vegetables at Al Aweer Market.

Ahmad, who has been selling vegetables for 23 years, added that the UAE’s dependence on fruits and vegetable imports increases particularly during summer as the local produce dwindle in extreme heat.

“I understand the high levels of pesticide residue is a health concern and I hope the producers will rectify this soon, as the UAE is a big market and they wouldn’t want to lose it. But, locally this decision will have its impact as cutting down on import sources will hamper the supply of key vegetables and fruits and prices will shoot up at least in the short term,” said Shahidul Islam, who is in retail vegetable business for 16 years.

Another vendor Waliur Rahman added that while the vendors will find alternative sources and may choose to sell other varieties of fruits and vegetables, consumers will suffer.

“Right now I sell vegetables, much of which come from Jordan, Oman and Egypt, if the ban comes into effect I will choose something else to sell. But what will consumers do, they will have to buy these vegetables if they must, imported from other countries and the cost will definitely go up if the supply is lesser than the demand,” said Rahman, a retail vendor at Al Aweer Market.

The ban will stay until the banned countries and products comply with the maximum allowed level of pesticides, even as the UAE has requested these countries to provide a certificate of analysis of pesticide residues for all other vegetables and fruits, and unsatisfactory results may lead to bans covering more products.

By Shafaat Shahbandari Staff Reporter

Gulf News 2017. All rights reserved.