The European Union (EU) has lifted the five-year ban imposed on Kenyan pea farmers on August 24, 2018. According to managing director Esther Kimani from the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis), the EU Commission recognised the determination farmers had in adhering to the EU standards. “Farmers were able to learn fast and adhered to the requirements, a thing that made the EU drop its checking percentage levels from 10 to 5 percent,” she stated.In 2013, pea farmers were not adhering to the EU requirements, exceeding maximum residue limits (MRLs) on produce. This was of course detected on entry of the EU markets. "This forced EU to slap a ban on the two crops (the sugar snaps and mange tout varieties) because of the failure by exporters to adhere to the 10 percent MRLs requirement," Kimani declared. A committee chaired by Kephis and coordinated by the ministry of Agriculture managed to bring down the level of MRLs as well as sensitise farmers to the importance of using the right chemicals in the correct quantities.

Source: freshplaza.com