Pallet fumigators' licences suspended

EXPORTS from Nelson Mandela Bay could grind to a halt if a fumigation licensing snag with the Agriculture Department is not resolved soon.

Bay fumigation companies that specialise in treating wooden pallets, wooden boxes and packaging used to export products had their fumigation licences suspended this week.

This was after an audit by the national Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries which found they did not have the correct gas concentration detection machine on site.

Pest Pro owner Chris Inch said no notice period was given, and that his company had, for the past five years, passed the same audit without the specific machine. "Many of my clients have been calling me non-stop, very concerned about penalties for late deliveries of exports," Inch said.

Pest Pro offers fumigation services to Eastern Cape pallet manufacturers and to companies re-using pallets.

While Inch was still deciding whether it would be worth buying the machine needed for the licence, Service Master owner Robert McAdam had already purchased one, costing in excess of R40000, but cannot trade for the next six weeks until it arrives from overseas.

McAdam said he was awaiting the outcome of an appeal he lodged with the department to which he attached the proof of purchase of the machine.

He said the repercussions of not trading for six weeks would be massive in both the short and long term.

"It could lead to huge job losses. Our clients are reliant on our fumigation service to export their products."

Pallets International owner Charles Wren said it was not good business practice to suspend licences without any warning or a grace period.

"We want to comply, but the timeframe is unreasonable. There is no consideration of the consequences for exports and industry," Wren said.

The company is reliant on Service Master to treat its wooden pallets before they are sold to its clients.

Rentokill Port Elizabeth branch manager Shaun Ranwell said the company was no longer involved in this specific form of fumigation service.

A department official who conducted the audits in Port Elizabeth, Adam Dolamo, admitted that many companies he had audited in the province had had their licences suspended because they did not have the machine. - Cindy Preller