Treated Carrots To Be Embargoed
Minister of Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Strategy Marc Bean spoke to the House of Assembly this morning [Dec.9], saying Government will be placing an Economic Embargo on treated carrots.
“This Government supports local farmers,” said the Minister. “And we wish to encourage both residents and visitors to enjoy the sweet flavour of our local carrots.
“However, we also wish to ensure that while protecting our farmers and encouraging local produce, we also enable carrots to be always available.”
Currently a Quarantine Embargo, designed to prevent infestation by the Carrot Rust Fly is in place for the importation of untreated carrots. Treated carrots have been exempt from this embargo.
But Government will now be placing an Economic Embargo on treated carrots, to exist side by side with the existing Quarantine Embargo.
Treated carrots include peeled carrots, shredded carrots, “baby carrots”, and carrots that have been subjected to other specific treatments such as temperature or chemical treatment.
Only when the supply of fresh or refrigerated local carrots has declined sufficiently will the Minister lift the Economic Embargo.
The Minister’s full statement follows below:
Mr. Speaker
I rise today to advise this Honourable House of changes to the policy regarding the importation of carrots.
Mr. Speaker
This is a matter of significant concern to our local farmers, but also of concern to consumers, restaurants and hotels. The policy change is designed to protect local farmers, while also ensuring that there are always sufficient carrots to meet local demand, particularly when local fresh carrots are not available. We recognize that many farmers depend on fresh carrot sales for a significant portion of their annual revenues. And we also recognize that given varying weather conditions, carrots are not always readily available.
Mr. Speaker
Currently a Quarantine Embargo, designed to prevent infestation by the Carrot Rust Fly, is in place for the importation of untreated carrots. Many might be surprised to learn that under existing Regulations, treated carrots are exempted from this embargo, as their treatment would address the risk presented by the Carrot Rust Fly. However, until recently, this provision has not been utilized by local importers.
As a change in policy, the Government will now manage the importation of treated carrots by imposing an Economic Embargo on treated carrots, to exist side by side with the existing Quarantine Embargo.
Treated carrots include peeled carrots, shredded carrots, so-called “baby carrots”, and carrots that have been subjected to other specific treatments such as temperature or chemical treatment.
Mr. Speaker
Imported fresh, treated carrots will now be subject to the provisions of the Importation of Fruits, Vegetables and Flowers Act 1961. Section 1 of this Act provides for the Minister to place such products under Economic Embargo. The Minister will act on the basis of information and advice provided by the Government Marketing Centre regarding the available supply of local fresh carrots. Only when the supply of fresh or refrigerated local carrots has declined sufficiently will the Minister lift an Economic Embargo.
Further, under section 18 of the Agriculture (Control of Plant Disease and Pest) Regulations 1970, imported treated carrots will be inspected by the Department of Environmental Protection’s Plant Protection Laboratory, prior to distribution.
The Government Marketing Centre and the Plant Protection Laboratory will work together to ensure that importers are aware of the status of a treated carrot Economic Embargo and to ensure that they are compliant with embargo notices.
Current embargo notices can be viewed at the Department of Conservation Services website, at www.conservation.bm/embargoes.
Mr. Speaker
The Government Marketing Centre will monitor the supply and quality of local carrots against the demand for carrots to determine if and when an embargo should be applied, or lifted. To assist, importers will be required to provide both the Marketing Centre and the Plant Protection Laboratory with their orders for fresh carrots.
Mr. Speaker
This Government supports local farmers. And we wish to encourage both residents and visitors to enjoy the sweet flavour of our local carrots. However, we also wish to ensure that while protecting our farmers and encouraging local produce, we also enable carrots to be always available.
Thank you Mr. Speaker
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Category: All, Environment
All of Bermuda is penalized in order to protect 5 farmers.
Pathetic.
This really is absurd. Small “baby” carrots are perfct for snacking, Pre shredded carrots are quick and easy to add to salads. All you are doing is once again restricting variety and availability of products for Bermudians.People are still going to buy local carrots!
How about those pre made bag salads that have pieces of shredded carrot already inside. Are you going to embargo those too?
Of all the problems on this island and you are worried about a carrot??
PATHETIC.
So again, healthy food is more expensive than unhealthy food, since local farms can’t meet demand.
Unbelievable!
wow this just baffles the mind..
While I enjoy fresh carrots as much as the next person, a few reminders to those that can’t understand the seriousness of the threat.
The cedar blight
Mexican pepper
Indian Laurel
Red eared sliders
Crows , sparrows , starlings and kiskadees
If this pest should ever make it to our shores it’s all over , simple as that.
all of that means nothing in relation to this article… its an ECONOMIC embargo, NOT the same thing as the quarantine embargo of fresh carrots.
Its a wonder they’re able to grow carrots at all in Canada, the USA and Mexico, what with them being so devastated by the rusty carrot flies.
But perhaps you weren’t reading clearly. IT IS AN ECONOMIC EMBARGO OF ALL CARROT PRODUCTS. No more packages of shredded carrots, processed baby carrots, frozen carrots. All so that five local farmers can sell their carrots.
Marc what you growing in your garden….let embargo this Gov”t
I remember a couple of years ago there were no carrots in the stores anywhere!…. I support the local farmer, but can local producers really supply the demand?
Everyone appears to have missed the part where it was said carrots will always be available. A economic embargo is only in effect when local supplies can meet local demands. When the cannot, imports are given the green light. So the only real concerns are quality of local produce and price. Quality can be improved by choosing better varieties. Price should be comparable given the govt. policy only allows farmers the same price that would be paid for imports “plus costs”. People are so quick to complain about food quality and costs…have you tried growing your own? Maybe then you would appreciate what it takes. Don’t be lulled to sleep by exploitation: the great distance between Bermuda and the 100,000 acre farms employing “illegals” for 35 cents and hour in the US while you sit back and snack on your baby carrots. Is this really what you are after?
Wake up Bermuda.