CONTROL OF PLANTS BILL

Order for Second Reading read. 1.10 pm

The Minister for National Development (Dr Richard Hu Tsu Tau): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

There are now three Acts that regulate the plant industry in Singapore. These are the Agricultural Pests Act, the Controlled Plants Act, and the Export of Plants (Control) Act.

These Acts originated many years ago as Ordinances. The Agricultural Pests Act was enacted in 1918 and the other two Acts were enacted in the 1940s. Some of the provisions in these Acts are now obsolete. More importantly, these pieces of legislation, individually and as a whole, are limited in scope and inadequate in regulating the production, import and export of plants, especially fruits and vegetables. In particular, the Acts do not have provisions to control the import of fruits and vegetables to ensure that they are safe for consumption, or to regulate the use of pesticides in farming.

In recent years, the use of chemicals and pesticides in agriculture has increased. Excessive levels of toxic chemical or pesticide residues in fresh fruits and vegetables pose a danger to the health of consumers. We import about 95% of our supply of fresh fruits and vegetables. To protect our consumers, we have to make sure that imported fresh fruits and vegetables do not contain excessive levels of harmful residues.

The Primary Production Department, together with the Ministry of the Environment and other Government agencies, has put in place a comprehensive system of safeguards that help to ensure that fresh fruits and vegetables sold locally are safe for consumption. Some of the measures have been carried out administratively, or by using powers available under the Sale of Food Act and other public health legislation. It is now timely to introduce a new and comprehensive legislation to regulate the plant industry, to help ensure a safe supply of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Control of Plants Bill will consolidate, update and replace the three existing Acts regulating the plant industry. The Bill will also introduce new provisions to regulate the safe and wholesome import of fresh fruits and vegetables, control pesticide use in Singapore, authorise issue of plant health export certificates, and regulate the plant industry through licensing.

The Bill contains provisions to ensure that imported fresh fruits and vegetables are free from harmful levels of toxic chemical or pesticide residues, and are safe for public consumption. Under the Bill, it is an offence to import for sale or supply, fruits and vegetables that contain excessive levels of harmful residues. All imported consignments are required to bear identification marks so that the source of contaminated fruits and vegetables can be traced.

The Bill also contains provisions to control the use of pesticide in Singapore. This is to ensure that fresh fruits and vegetables produced locally are safe from pesticide residues. Under the Bill, only approved pesticides may be used in cultivation.

The Bill provides the Primary Production Department with the authority to issue phytosanitary certificates to certify that plants and plant products exported from Singapore are free from plant diseases and pests. These certificates will facilitate our export of plants and plant products.

The Bill will regulate the plant industry by licensing importers of fruits and vegetables as well as persons who cultivate plants commercially.

In addition to new provisions to regulate the plant industry, the Bill also re-enacts, with some amendments, existing provisions to prevent the introduction and spread of agricultural pests and plant diseases, prohibit the cultivation of undesirable plants, and control the export of plants.

In the interests of public health, it is timely for us to introduce the Control of Plants Bill. This Bill will enable the Primary Production Department to exert effective control on imported as well as locally produced fresh fruits and vegetables to ensure that these are safe for consumption.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Dr Richard Hu Tsu Tau].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.