Indonesia Closes Jakarta Port to Horticulture Imports

A new concern about Indonesia closing its largest port to horticultural imports was among issues raised when WTO members met as the WTO committee dealing with food safety and animal and plant health on 27-28 March 2012.

Jakarta port closure. The US, supported by the EU, Australia, Chile, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa complained about Indonesia’s plan to close four ports for imports of fruit and vegetables, including the Port of Jakarta (Tanjung Priok), originally scheduled for 19 March, but postponed until 19 June 2012.

They said the vast majority of horticultural imports (90%, according to the US and New Zealand), enter through Jakarta, and that the use of alternative ports will add several days of transportation, increasing costs and affecting the shelf life of perishable produce.

Indonesia cited food safety and plant health reasons but did not notify any phytosanitary issues involving American fruit and vegetable exports, the US said. Nor has any scientific justification been produced, it said.

Canada, which does not export much fruit and vegetables to Indonesia, said that it is concerned that the measure could be extended to meat and other animal products.

Indonesia said the closure is needed because the ports to be closed do not have enough laboratory and quarantine facilities to deal with threats found in imported products. Four seaports and one airport will stay open for these imports, and the postponement to 19 June is designed to give trade partners enough time to set up new infrastructure such as warehouses, it said.

A group of about 12 countries also complained in the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures Committee about an increase in the number of food safety and animal and plant health measures obstructing trade illegitimately because they are not based on international standards or science.

Concern about Indonesia’s port closure was among the three new and 12 old concerns raised in the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures Committee.

Members also heard on-going questions and comments, for example about measures taken against mad cow disease, Chinese Taipei’s ban on meat from animals fed with the lean-enhancing additive ractopamine, China’s methanol content requirement for some alcoholic drinks, and EU regulations for “novel foods” — including products considered traditional particularly in Latin America. The EU reported on the newly-discovered Schmallenberg virus, which has triggered a number of trade restrictions.