Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Government has been urged to ensure that imported products such as banana comply with local or international standards in order to safeguard the health of food consumers.
Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) Public Relations Manager Calvin Kaleyi has expressed fear that Zambia is at risk of importing contaminated bananas from Mozambique after the two countries signed a deal to foster co-operation.
And Mr. Kaleyi has called on the government to step up measures in order to ensure that the bananas that are imported into the country are subjected to sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
He says this will ensure that the country does not import the banana will disease.
The ZNFU Public relations Manager notes that the banana wilt is not easy to contain hence the need to ensure that the disease does not break out in the country.
He adds that the country needs to safeguard the good record of its agricultural products which has had in the recent past.
A destructive strain of a banana wilt disease has been discovered on Cavendish bananas in Mozambique.
The disease, widely known as Foc tr4, is a form of fusarium wilt or panama disease, caused by the fungus.