48th Session of Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues opens in Chongqing
DATE:2016-04-26 SOURCE:Information Office, MOA
The 48th Session of Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) opened in Chongqing on April 25, 2016.
MOA Chief Agronomist Sun Zhonghua and Mr. Percy W. Misika, FAO Representative in China, DPR Korea and Mongolia, attended and addressed the opening ceremony. CCPR Chairman Dr. Qiao Xiongwu chaired the Session.
Chief Agronomist Sun Zhonghua expressed his appreciation and sincere thanks for CCPR''s significant contribution in promoting the open, safe and fair international systems for pesticide residue standards and food trade, and relevant standards-setting in its member countries. He noted that China, a major producer, trader and consumer of agricultural products with the largest population in the world, always attaches great importance to agricultural products safety and food safety. China amended the Food Safety Law of the People''s Republic of China and launched the national plan for sustainable agricultural development in 2015. In 2016 China introduced a food safety strategy. In all these efforts, China set forth clear-cut objectives for reduction and control of pesticides application. He pledged that MOA will continue its active participation in the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) to jointly promote the development of a harmonized food safety standard system at international level.
The 48th Session of CCPR is the 10th meeting hosted by China as the CCPR host country since 2007. There are 13 agenda items in this year''s session that will review over 500 Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for Abamectin and 39 other pesticides in foods and feeds including grain, vegetables and straw; revise the analysis methods for pesticide residues and the classification of foods and animal feeds and; formulate the priority list for pesticide assessment, among others. There're over 300 delegates attending the meeting this year, representing 52 member countries, 1 member organization (the EU) and 13 international organizations.
During the Session, a number of bilateral and multilateral consultations and different working group meetings will also be organized.
CCPR is a specialized subordinate committee of CAC, a food safety standard body jointly established by FAO and WHO. Its major responsibility is to set international standards concerning MRLs of pesticides in food and feed.