Suriname agricultural export crisis with European Union

Suriname’s vegetable export sector is experiencing a structural economic crisis driven by the rejection of shipments by European Union authorities. Due to high concentrations of pesticides and phytosanitary risks, weekly export volumes of Surinamese vegetables to Europe have declined from 65 tons in 2018 to approximately 15 tons in 2026, while the number of active exporters has been halved.

Recent rejections have involved products such as red pepper, kouseband, and sopropo. Specific instances include kouseband flagged for exceeding limits of chlorothalonil, carbendazim, and benomyl, and frozen sopropo in the Netherlands where acetamiprid levels were found to be “four times the European limit”.

In response to these repeated failures, the Association of Exporters of Agricultural Products in Suriname (VEAPS) has warned that the sector faces intensified inspections or export restrictions under EU Regulation 2019/1793. VEAPS noted that within a six-month period, the EU classified four shipments of Surinamese produce as “serious” rejections due to excessive pesticide residues. The association expressed concern that the EU could temporarily tighten controls on all food products from the country and criticized the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries (LVV) for failing to share information regarding these rejections.

To address these concerns and protect market access, VEAPS has urged the immediate operationalization of the National Institute for Food Safety (NIVS). This follows government efforts to complete a residue laboratory that has been under construction since 2012, with the administration currently procuring testing instruments to detect chemical residues.