Industry Ministry encourages producers to become HACCP-certified

From left, Reginald Budhan, quality consultant in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries; Sheryl Anderson, Managing Director of Quality Systems Solutions & Initiatives (QSSI), and Major Hugh Blake, chairman of the QSSI board in discussion at the launch of the QSSI Training Institute in Kingston on June 14.

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries (MICAF) is encouraging all food-exporting producers, especially those involved in exports, to become HACCP certified. This will enable Jamaica’s food-producing businesses to access export markets, as lack of certification could constitute non-tariff barriers to exports.
Speaking on behalf of the Hon Karl Samuda, Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, at the launch of Quality Systems Solutions & Initiatives Training Institute in Kingston on June 14, quality consultant in the Ministry, Reginald Budhan, said, “In light of the importance of HACCP to our food industry, I would like to use this occasion to call on all food producers, especially those involved in exports, to initiate work to become HACCP certified.”
Budhan emphasised that food-exporting businesses have an obligation to the country to become certified as this will provide them with increased access to markets, thereby increasing employment in agriculture.

“My goal is to get ministries and agencies of government modernized by becoming ISO 9001:2015 certified,” said Budhan, who noted that that Jamaica could not afford to operate in a parochial manner but must rise to global standards in terms of the goods and services produced for the domestic and export markets.

In addition to appointing Mr Budhan as the standards ambassador to champion the implementation of ISO 9001:2015 throughout the public and private sectors, a quality systems division was recently established in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries to assist the Ministry and its portfolio agencies to become ISO certified. It is expected that the Ministry and five agencies will become certified by the end of the financial year.
Quality Systems Solutions & Initiatives is now its fifth year of operation and has been instrumental in assisting both local and regional companies in achieving certification in international standards to include Safe Quality Foods, HACCP and ISO 9001.
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Contact:

Director, Communication & Public Relations
Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries
Hope Gardens, Kingston 6
T – 927-1731-50 / 618-7128; E: pr2@micaf.gov.jm; daoconnor@micaf.gov.jm
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Twitter – https.www.twitter.com\agriministryja

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