NEW ORDER OF EXPORT TO USA DISCUSSED AT SEMINAR ORGANIZED BY USDA/MAP

YEREVAN. A new order of export to the USA was discussed today in the course of a seminar organized by the USDA Marketing Assistance Program (MAP) in the town of Abovyan, Kotayk region, Armenia.

Speaking at the seminar, USDA/MAP Representative Lilit Martirossyan said that beginning from the end of the current year, the law “On security of public health as well as on respond to and readiness for bio-terrorism” will come in effect in the USA. She said that the law provides for provision of preliminary information on the production exported, which will allow discussing, researching and estimating the information provided before exporting the production, as well as will secure an entry of a safe production to the US market. Martirossyan said that the preliminary information is to concern the importer, producer, the quantity, name of the imported products etc.. In case of a reliable information that the given product can be dangerous for the health of consumers, the law on administrative arrest of the foodstuff is applied, she said.
Besides, the Department for Foodstuff and Medicines of the USA can deprive the person of the right to import in case of his previous convictions for violation of the law on import or regular participation in the import of low quality or forged production. Besides, Martirossyan said that the organizations producing, processing or importing products to the US market are to be officially registered. She said that all the data on registration of the importers of perishables are to be preserved within a year beginning from the day of their registration, this term for other products is 2 years.
Full Minister and Adviser of the U.S. Embassy in Russia for Agricultural Affairs Allan Mustard said that the main goal of the law’s adoption is to reveal the exports and the exported products by using the above information canal. He pointed out that the introduction of the new order does not prevent the exports to the USA, but aims a protection of the market from bio-terrorism. Mustard said that the registration is free and the process itself is quick. The USA is considered one of the largest foodstuff importers in the world and has no intention of reducing the exports volume by introduction of new rules, he said.
It should be noted that such seminars will be held in several regions of Armenia on Nov 17-26.