1. INTRODUCTION

Malaysia is a contracting party to International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) under Food And Agriculture Organization (FAO). The Department of Agriculture (DOA) Malaysia the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) is responsible to discharge functions specified by  the IPPC. Hence, DOA is responsible for the setting up of arrangements and procedures leading to the implementation of phytosanitary certification, measure and regulation, with the objective of ensuring that exported plants, plant products and other regulated articles and consignments thereof are in conformity with the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) and the requirements of the importing countries in particular (Article V of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).

The Malaysian Phytosanitary Certification Assurance Scheme (MPCA) designed by the Crop Protection and Plant Quarantine Division, Department of Agriculture (DOA) Malaysia is to certify farms, collecting centres, packing houses and factories which require phytosanitary certification for the produce before exportation. This scheme is totally based on the International Standards For Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) formulated by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), Food And Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It is open to all interested parties dealing with exportation of plants, plant products and regulated articles related to plant quarantine regulations and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirement imposed by importing countries.

Department of Agriculture has established close relationship with other importing  countries for exchange of information pertaining to export opportunities and quarantine requirements.

In ensuring that the product from the farm/premise certified under this scheme is in compliance with the importing country phytosanitary requirement, the farm and premises shall be subjected to auditing by DOA and joint monitoring visit by official from importing countries. This auditing is in line with the National Provisions and ISPM Standard which take into consideration the different hazard critical point associated with agricultural processes, rules and criteria.

World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (WTO - SPS) Measures requires, countries intending to engage in trade with each other could make their own formal agreements on a bilateral/multilateral basis. To facilitate expeditious implementation of this programmed bilateral agreement have been and will be established with importing countries with regards to phytosanitary requirements.