The Zambian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa has expressed disappointment over a fresh ban imposed on the export of Zambian honey to South Africa.
In a letter written to South African authorities, Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Emmanuel Mwamba stated that he had learnt with regret that South Africa has restricted market access for Zambia’s pure honey with immediate effect.
He said that this is because a consignment allegedly from Zambia was found to be contaminated with a disease called American Foulbrood (Paenibacillus larvae).
This was contained in a statement issued to ZANIS, by first secretary for press and public relations Naomi Nyawali.Mr. Mwamba has stated that the ban was done outside procedures and trade regulations.
He said the procedure to impose the ban were breached and no official letter has been written to competent authorities in Zambia as required by trade protocols.
He also stated that no official results of the analysis and copy of import airway bill were provided for Zambia to authenticate and verify the source of such a consignment.
He said it was difficult to establish whether the matter was a misconduct of traders who sometimes mix various imports of honey products from other countries.
Mr. Mwamba has urged the authorities in South Africa to immediately reverse the ban on importation of pure honey until the laid down procedures and verification are done between experts from both countries.
He said Zambia exports its pure honey to other markets such as the European Union where stringent regulations exist and if such a disease was detected it would not have had that market access to the EU.
In a letter written to South African importers of pure Zambian honey, the authorities stated that audit samples from a consignment from a farm called Musonda Chitalu and Forest Fruite, detected paenibacillus larvae (American Foulbrood).
The letter to South African importers states that to this effect, all consignments from Zambia should be subjected to irradiation and all imports permits allowing pure honey from Zambia have since been withdrawn.
But Mr. Mwamba stated that during earlier effort to lift the ban on pure honey market access to South Africa, extensive work was done to demonstrate that Zambia did not have such a disease present in its honey.
He said the pure honey export trade to South Africa is now booming which went in a long way to reduce trade deficit and trade imbalance between the two countries.
Mr. Mwamba who said the recent development negated such positive strides further, called on the South African authorities at the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in South Africa to engage with their counterparts from Zambia to urgently resolve this regrettable development.
No problem Zambia should also retaliate like any self respecting country would do.Ban South Africa fruits because they have worms. Nigerians would do it in a heart beat no messing around…
Kikikiki trade war.
Sounds like RSA are also tired Emmanuel.
Thank God that HH & GBM are not in honey business.
Our dear dull President Lazy Lungu will say please I dont want to retaliate because I dont want to annoy them and think of us as a bad neighbour… that how silly the man is. I question where his loyalties lay!!
That honey in the picture is actually produced by a South African company in Zambia
Matrix – That is Zambezi Gold produced in Zambia. Here is a transcript from their website.
“Forest Fruits Ltd. is Zambia’s leading producer of certified organic honey and beeswax, and the largest single exporter of honey on the African Continent. This dynamic and rapidly expanding social enterprise owns the Zambezi Gold™ brand of honey and currently employs 50 full time staff and 30 seasonal workers in addition to its out-growers, most of whom are based in Mwinilunga, North-Western Province.”
Jay Jay I never said the honey isnt produced in Zambia. I said the honey in the picture is actually produced by a South African company in Zambia. Forest Fruits Ltd is their new identity as a Zambian company but they are owned by South Africans from Cape Town
Matrix – What is a Zambian company to you? The website clearly states it has 50 full-time staff at their base in Mwinilungu ..
Daniel Ball – Founder and Managing Director of Forest Fruits Ltd., the largest single exporter and out-growers’ system of honey production (6000 out-growers, 1,000 tons/yr) on the African continent. Suppliers of organic honey in bulk shipments or retail packs. Owner of the Zambezi Gold brand of bee products marketed throughout the SADC/COMESA region.
He provides technical input to the Veterinary Department of Zambia and is consulted by industry, agency and institutional players throughout Africa.
A development entrepreneur and practitioner with extensive field experience and over 27 years working primarily at both rural grassroots and management level.
Lazy bum illiterate hooligan tribal bully son of a polygamist tribal father who never taught him toilet training is soiling in public Hagain!
SA BAN I IMPORTS OF ZAMBIAN HONEY…..
“He said the procedure to impose the ban were breached and no official letter has been written to competent authorities in Zambia as required by trade protocols.”
You foools seriously think the RSA cares about you beggars…how I wish we had leaders like Paul Kayame (not his dictatorial side) he would have looked forward to a trade war especially with 10/90 imbalance to RSA’s favour. Zambians are too docile with a myopic leader who is busy reading speeches at a talk-shop in Namibia for the next 2 days.
Sometimes it is IMPORTANT TO STAND ONE’s GROUND and let others see VALUE in their partners!! WHY is it that we are always at the receiving end and never find time to payback?? CONGOLESE KILL OUR DRIVERS INSTEAD OF CLOSING THE BORDER ON THE PRETEXT OF SECURITY TO LET THEM STARVE AND LEARN LESSONS OF MUTUAL RESPECT,WE JUST LOOK!! S.AFRICANS KILL OUR PEOPLE AND BURN OUR TRUCKS and NOW ARE IMPOSING UNJUSTIFIABLE IMPORT BANS, WE JUST LOOK;INSTEAD OF PICKING SOME PRODUCTS AND BAN THEM TOO THE SAME WAY!! Some of these actions may look draconian but may be helpful,we may even grow some of our industries that way! Poultry in Zambia grew from import bans during KK’s time, today most of the chickens we eat are locally produced
Please please please go to school ba LT!! South Africa cant ban exports of Zambian honey. Ramaphosa has no authority over what Zambia exports. Perhaps South Africa can ban IMPORTS of Zambian goods. Your headline above should have caught the eye of any logical alert sub-editor
Imports the headline should have read.
Even me a Bemba speaking person can tell there is an error here. Abanensu ba Ku Chipata baletuseka.
Any other country would be at all stations …Ministry of Commerce would be issuing press statements but not these tins …Lazy Lungu is probably drinking now laughing with RSA President as the man is a mere figurehead without responsibilities.
@LT – Please correct the heading – South Africa can only BAN IMPORT OF PURE ZAMBIAN HONEY. They can not BAN THE EXPORT because Zambia as a sovereign nation is free to exports its products where ever we so wish e.g. Europe.
THE FACT IS: – BETWEEN NDOLA AND KAPIRI THERE IS A LAYBYE WHICH DISPLAYS PURE HONEY FOR SALE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THIS NATURAL HONEY FROM THE BUSH AND NOT FROM HONEY BEE FARMERS.
THE TRUTH IS: – THIS HONEY IS NOT REALLY PURE HONEY. THESE GUYS BUY MOLASSES FROM ZAMBIA SUGAR IN NDOLA AND MIX THIS WITH A BIT OF PURE HONEY TO GIVE IT FLAVOUR. IF YOU OBSERVE THAT HONEY HAS A FUNNY DARK BROWN COLOUR UNLIKE THE TRUE PURE HONEY WHICH IS LIGHT BROWN TO ALMOST CLEAR.
SOUTH AFRICANS HAVE NOW KNOWN THIS HENCE THEY ARE LOOKING FOR EXCUSSES IN A DISEASE BECAUSE THEY CANNOT PROVE…
SOUTH AFRICANS HAVE NOW KNOWN THIS HENCE THEY ARE LOOKING FOR EXCUSSES IN A DISEASE BECAUSE THEY CANNOT PROVE THE MOLASSES STORY. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE NEVER GROWN UP IN VILLAGES HENCE THEY DO NOT KNOW THE TRUE SCENT AND FLAVOUR OF PURE HONEY THEY BUY BLINDLY.
We cannot call this regrettable its all about protecting peoples lives and not just money and business. Didnt we do the same with those imported polonies, bacons, salamies and whatever it was at that time. We are just being childish. Lets not cry foul and call the shorts when we have done the same on them. Just to be seen “working”. If we have nothing to say – silent is golden!
Some leaders are just short sighted with short memories. They are a danger to us all.
Disaster!!!!!
@ Rudemonk, It is YOU who SHOULD KEEP QUIET!, the issue you are referring to (listeria bacteria) actually started from themselves in S.Africa after recording a number of death! Like Mwamba as advised they investigated and identified the source and suspended production from some facilities. WE IN ZAMBIA THEN FOLLOWED THE PROCEDURE AFTER NOTIFICATION FROM S.AFRICA AS TRADING PARTNER TO SUSPEND IMPORTS. It was not NOT BY HEAR SAY or SPECULATION BUT THERE WAS SCIENTIFIC PROOF!! What they have done on honey is speculative with no proof to help us, in Zambia to trace the source of the disease and take appropriate action!! For years Zambia has been exporting honey to Europe without any problem,WATCH OUT S.Africa farmers may be fearing competition from Zambian honey!!
zambiaisours – Zambian honey from NW is marketed as a niche organic product with a distinctive taste and smell so has no competition with blended brands…i stock up on this one every year when I am in Zambia.
So you mean all this time we were eating contaminated honey? Where is ministry of health in all this?
Very simple all South Africa chain shops must start selling local products .
Your President is a lazy coward…
Adamson Mushala’s staple food was honey, he used to go for days without any other food. He was shot dead on his way from collecting honey. Most foods contain some impurities which our bodies tolerate. Even Coca Cola is said to have side effects. Some septics will discourage you from kissing because the mouth has a lot of bacteria but I am yet to somebody who fell sick after kissing. RSA is large consumer of GMOs but nothing is said. So I wonder about the motive of banning Zambian honey without procedure. Veli styopeti kaffirs
The headline is misleading. DAFF has not banned importation of Zambian honey, they’ve suspended the exemption provision from irradiating it (Zambian honey). This simply means, Zambian honey can be imported into South Africa on condition that it’s subjected to irradiation upon entering SA.
The process is rather costly and time consuming. Besides, most consumers don’t like irradiated honey…
Jay Jay,I am really shocked the hurt you have over president LUNGU,please be mindful the seed you are sowing to your soul,one day LUNGU will leave office and a president of your liking will take office but I don’t think that president will be able to put food on people’s table,it is up to the individual to raise up to the occasion and make good out of the resources available.Jay Jay politicians are the same and we just have to pray for them to do well and other leader will come.I for one am not a politician and I don’t wish to be one but by God’s divine way ,I have to respect people whom God’s he puts he puts into office,be HH,Kabwili,Chipimo etcetera and have a blessing.The issue of SA burning the Zambian Honey ,am sure relevant authorities will look into it,it’s not always the…
No President puts food on the table for anyone it doesn’t work like that…I never liked RB and he is gone..a president or should I say a Head Of State is supposed unite and lead not cower as the first sight of trouble…these are wasted years under Lazy Lungu!!