Two hundred fresh produce containers from Latin America stuck in the port of Algeciras, Spain

Published 2021년 6월 25일

Tridge summary

Around 180 to 200 containers of pineapple, cassava, and chayote from Costa Rica and Colombia are being held at the Spanish port of Algeciras due to updated EU sanitary and phytosanitary controls. The hold-up is largely due to the strict enforcement of Regulation 1333/2008 on food additives, specifically the use of non-EU approved coatings on cassava and pineapples. The situation has led to confusion and chaos, with some containers being rerouted to other European ports and others destroyed. The lack of clear guidelines and consistent application of standards across ports has been criticized, causing significant impact on exporters, importers, and the reputation of the Algeciras port.

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Original content

Between 180 and 200 containers of pineapple, cassava and chayote from Costa Rica and Colombia remain blocked at the southern Spanish port of Algeciras due to an adjustment in the way EU rules on sanitary and phytosanitary controls are applied. One of those rules is Regulation 1333/2008 of the European Parliament on food additives. After all, the European Commission had requested that the controls on these products be strengthened to see whether they effectively comply with European Union regulations. New procedures were created for this, but the strict interpretation of the EU regulations on coatings by the Food Safety Service of Imported Products of the Port of Algeciras led to the rejection of many containers. The situation is currently chaotic in the southern Spanish port and problematic for the enforcement of the cold chain. “Overnight, we were required to declare whether or not the products contained an additive, and if so, whether the batches of fresh produce had the ...

Source: AGF