WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/680 
31 March 2006 
 (06-1498) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
SOME EXPERIENCES OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO IN THE APPLICATION  
OF THE SPS AGREEMENT 
 
Communication from Trinidad and Tobago
 
  
 The following communication, received on 30 Marc h 2006, is being circulated at the request 
of the Delegation of Trinidad and Tobago. 
 
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Application of Article 6 on Regionalization and Article 9 on Technical Assistance. 
 
Background
 
 1. This report concerns Trinidad and Tobago's expe rience in its efforts to facilitate Argentina's 
request to export fresh apples, grapes and pears dir ectly to the country.  It illustrates the positive 
outcome of efforts of two developing countries to apply the SPS Agreement, i.e. Article 6 on 
Recognition of Regional Conditions including P est and Diseases Free Areas and Article 9 on 
Technical Assistance (to facilitate trade). 
2. The Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources initiated a pest risk analysis (PRA) 
to determine the risks associated with direct impor tation of fresh fruits from Argentina and measures 
that could be taken to mitigate against any such ri sks.  The PRA determined that the main risk was 
introduction of the Mediterranean fruitfly ( Ceratitis capitata)  and that cold treatment was the most 
effective post-harvest quarantine treatment against the med-fly.  The literature also pointed to med-fly 
free production areas in Argentina.  
3. Trinidad and Tobago had no expertise in the a pplication of cold treatment and there was 
insufficient information to determine the pest-fre e status of fruit production areas in Argentina 
according to several relevant International Sta ndards for Phytosanitary Measures  (ISPMs) i.e.: 
• ISPM No 4 - Requirements for the establishment of Pest Free Areas  
• ISPM No 8 – Determine of Pest Status in an Area and  
• ISPM No 10 – Requirements for the Establishment of Pest Free Places of Production 
and pest free production sites. 
 
4. Trinidad and Tobago, in its efforts to facilita te trade, requested technical assistance from 
Argentina to: 
• Gain first-hand knowledge of the pest-fr ee status of areas from which fruit destined 
for Trinidad and Tobago are cultivated. 
• Evaluate data to ascertain the pest-free status of the region. G/SPS/GEN/680 
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  • Evaluate the quality of harvested fruits and their pest status.  
• Be trained in the use of Cold Tr eatment as a Quarantine Measure.  
 Outcome of the Technical Assistance Request
 
 
5. The Argentinean Government responded by s ponsoring an Argentine scientist visit to 
Trinidad and Tobago and sponsoring two Crop Protec tion Officers from Trinidad and Tobago to visit 
Argentina from 23 February to 3 March 2006.  While in Argentina the officers observed and 
evaluated the systems that were instituted to m onitor and maintain pest-free status in the fruit 
production areas of the Patagonian  Valley region.  They  
• Visited production areas and observed fru it production systems (including Good 
Agricultural Practices (GAP)) in the Patagoni an Valley Region where natural barriers 
help to protect the production areas from invasion by fruitflies; 
• Undertook fruit cutting in the field; 
• Observed fruitfly trapping in urban and rural areas; 
• Examined fruitfly trapping record s for the Patagonian Valley Area; 
• Observed breeding and release of sterile male flies and temperature sensitive lethal 
methods to kill female medfly eggs; 
• Visited quarantine check points and observed physical checks of vehicles and luggage 
by quarantine officer; 
• Visited a packing house to observe preparation, packing and storage of fruits for 
export; 
• Visited a freight inspection facility and ob served on-site fruit inspection (including 
fruit cutting) by inspectors from importing countries who oversaw the sampling of fruits (destined for export ), for fruit pests;  and 
• Observed a demonstration of cold treatment procedures. 
 
6. The officers verified objectively that the ri gid systems Argentina has put in place were 
effective in maintaining the medfly free status of  the Patagonian Region and the likelihood that the 
area would remain medfly-free (Article 6.3).  
Recommendations  
 
7. The following recommendations were made fo llowing Argentina's demonstration of the 
medfly-free status of Patagonia: 
• Argentina should be permitted to export apples,  grapes and pears directly to Trinidad 
and Tobago, but fruits should come fro m the Patagonia Valley Region only.  
Although the Mendoza Region is reported to be medfly free, Crop Protection 
Personnel from Trinidad a nd Tobago should also verify the pest-free status and 
certify that region for direct trade in fresh fruit.  
• Fruits for Trinidad and Tobago should be  shipped from the Patagonia Valley Region 
through Port San Antonio only. 
• Shipments of fruits from Argentina must be accompanied by a valid phytosanitary 
certificate indicating adherence to conditio ns outlined by Trinidad and Tobago, 
including a declaration that the fruits were grown in the Patagonia Valley Region.  
• Since the Patagonia Valley Region has been declared fr ee from medfly and 
Anastrepha  fruitflies (Federal Register-USDA/APHIS, Vol. 70, No. 235; 
December 2005), consignments of fruits can  be imported into Trinidad and Tobago 
without cold treatment as outlined in I SPM No. 4 – Pest Surveillance Requirements 
For The Establishment of Pest Free Areas (PFA) which states that:  " The 
establishment and use of a PFA by a (NPPO) provides for the export of plants, plant  G/SPS/GEN/680 
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  products and other regulated articles from th e country in which the area is situated 
(exporting country) to another country (im porting country) without the need for 
application of additional phytosanitary measu res when certain requirements are met.  
Thus, the pest free status of an area may be used as the basis for the phytosanitary 
certification...".  
• Trade should be initiated, based upon the unde rstanding that an annual audit of the 
programme by Crop Protection Personnel of Trinidad and Tobago must take place 
during the harvesting season.  This is consiste nt with ISPM No. 10, which states that  
"Review and audit procedures undertaken by the NPPO are essential to support 
assurance of pest freedom and for system appraisal. "  Bilateral arrangements will be 
needed to facilitate annual certificati on visits at Argentina's expense. 
 Follow-up action
 
 
• Trinidad and Tobago is legally required to issue import permits framing conditions 
for import of agricultural commodities, b ased on scientific evaluation of risks 
associated with such imports.  In doing so , the country is also committed to applying 
the relevant ISPMs to facilitate trade.  
• The Plant Protection Committee, at the next meeting in April 2006, would consider 
the aforementioned recommendations which will undoubtedly be given favourable 
consideration and endorsed with few modifications. 
• Arrangements should be finalized subject to bilateral negotiations with Argentina, e.g 
for annual audit visits sponsored by Argentina. 
• It is expected soon that the Plant Quarantin e Department will receive applications for 
Import Permits to import apples, grapes and pears directly from Argentina.  Having concluded the PRA with this mission, we ar e now better able to frame the conditions 
for import of fruits from Argentina, without much delay. 
  
Some General Experiences in Conduc ting Pest Risk Analyses (PRAs) 
 
Timelines for completion of PRAs
 
 
8. Although timelines have been established for co mpletion of PRAs, the PRA in the case 
described above was concluded well in excess of the seven months deadline.  In Trinidad and 
Tobago's experience, several factors mitigate agai nst rapid completion of PRAs.  Among them are: 
(a) Staffing - There is need for a cadre of dedicated officers to conduct PRA, in order to 
remain current  and to clear up the existi ng backlog.  We hope to improve this 
situation by hiring staff to work on PRAs as a projectized activity under a 
development project.  
(b) More computers with greater direct Internet access .  This is being addressed. 
(c) Information for completion of PRAs - Applicants for Import Permits are requested 
to provide information to complete PRAs.  Invariably they do not provide information 
in a timely manner. Sometimes they provide inadequate information or no 
information at all.  This frustrates all stages of the PRA process and can be avoided if applicants provide the required information promptly. 
(d) Literature sources - The PRA Unit relies heavily on the CABI Pest Compendium, 
information from free websites and library texts for information to complete PRAs 
and these are not always adequate.  We intend to expand our information sources by G/SPS/GEN/680 
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  subscribing to relevant databases on the web and purchasing addi tional literature and 
databases on CD-ROM.  We will also make  more direct contact with exporting 
countries for information. 
(e) Prioritization of PRAs  - Prioritization of PRAs remains difficult to resolve.  Work 
according to a planned work schedule is often sidelined to accommodate "urgent" 
PRAs that are needed to address or facilitate some situation, e.g. to avoid returning a 
shipment of agricultural commodities en tering the country without the required 
import permit.  A system of prioritization still needs to be agreed for a smooth workflow.  
(f) Volume of work - Sometimes the sheer volume of work involved means that a PRA 
cannot be completed within the timelines and extended periods are required.  The 
time taken to complete a PRA may be determined by the number of commodities and the number of pests to be evaluated for each commodity in an application. 
Acknowledgements
 
 
9. I wish to thank: 
• The Government of Argentina and the Argentinean Mission in Trinidad for 
sponsoring the Technical Mission from Trinid ad and Tobago to determine the pest 
free status for importing fruits into Trinidad and Tobago. 
• Argentina should be complimented for its transparency in providing information and 
allowing field visits by our nationals to areas of relevance to the Mission. 
• Personnel in the MALMR for patiently pursuing the project to ensure its realization. 
• Mr Joseph Seales, Entomologist, and Mr Aldwyn Wellington, Plant Quarantine 
Officer, for undertaking the Mission, conducting an objective evaluation and reporting promptly, giving recommendations that can be used for scientific decision-making to facilitate trade between Trinidad and Tobago and Argentina.   
 
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