[en] Food security and economic security are unarguably desirable objectives for all nations - indeed for the world. Equally important is the sustainability of designs that achieve these objectives without disadvantaging others or damaging the environment. Considering area-wide pest management in the context of these interrelated global policy forces is essential to fully understand its role in both the protection of plant resources and in facilitation of trade. The case for food security begins with the realisation that there are currently about 800 million people in the world who are suffering from malnutrition due to lack of food. The World Food Summit, convened in November 1996, urgently called for coordinated world-wide action to ensure 'food for all'. A key strategy for realising this goal is reducing losses due to plant pests. In this light, area-wide pest management can be viewed as a valuable addition to the toolbox of pest management strategies. It can also be one of the most sustainable and cost-effective options to consider for pest management. However, just as the problem of world hunger is not solved by a single farmer, area-wide pest management cannot be successful at the individual level. It requires commitment and cooperation to make it feasible - the same type of commitment and cooperation that was expressed at the World Food Summit. Where economic security is concerned, one need not look far to see a world of growing economic integration and widening circles of development. As the World Trade Organisation celebrates the 50th anniversary of the rules-based trading system which began with the GATT after World War II, it is clear that globalisation and the liberalisation of trade have become permanent fixtures in international policy formulation and are integral to the economic security of all nations. Now, more than ever before, the world's prosperity rests on maintaining an open international economy based on commonly agreed rules. The significance of agriculture in this international economy is quickly evident, as we see enormous quantities of fresh and processed agricultural commodities racing across borders and seas to markets in the far corners of the globe where the availability of such products had been inconceivable only decades before. For every country in the world, the import and export of agricultural products are essential to the health of the economy as well as the population. Non-industrialised countries, in particular, rely upon agriculture as a cornerstone for commerce. Industrial countries rely upon trade in agricultural products to provide the quantity, quality and variety of goods demanded by modern consumers. However, more trade, faster trade, and the opening of new markets for agricultural products also offer greater opportunities for the movement of pests that can have deleterious consequences. This raises significant concerns in policy formulation, especially as measures for protection can affect the free movement of commodities in trade. On the one hand, countries need to be able to import, to meet their needs and market demands, and they have the reciprocal need to have their exports accepted by others. On the other hand, countries must exercise a certain amount of care to ensure that they do not unduly jeopardise their own resources by introducing harmful new pests. This must be considered against the corresponding need to ensure that they do not ship harmful pests to other countries. As a result, there emerges a strong need for a balanced, dynamic, multi-disciplinary approach to policies concerned with pest management - for both domestic and foreign pest management. These policies are increasingly based on international cooperation, sophisticated technologies, and the marriage of economic and biological analyses. We are currently experiencing this transition in practice based on a more holistic approach, as evidenced in part by the expanding interest in applications for area-wide pest management. The evidence indicates that this shift will bring significant benefits in increased production and trade, as well as offering more sustainable and environmentally acceptable pest management options. There is also the concern that as tariffs and other barriers are removed, countries may impose measures under the guise of protection in order to secure market or other unfair advantages. It is the nature of quarantine to follow the old adage, 'an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure', i.e., it is comparatively cheaper and easier to prevent the entry of pests with strongly restrictive measures than it is to deal with the result of pest introduction. But while a certain degree of care is clearly justified, unreasonably conservative policies are seen to unnecessarily restrict trade. The question revolves around the issue of justification. As globalisation and the liberalisation of trade have matured, and international trade in agricultural products has grown in importance, it has become necessary for 'free trade' and 'fair trade' to evolve still further to embrace the concept of 'safe trade'. That is to say, disciplines are necessary to ensure that protective measures are used to the extent justified by legitimate concerns, but not as unjustified barriers to trade. This brings the discussion to the early part of the 1990s and the last round of multilateral trade negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) - the Uruguay Round, and the agreements therein related to agriculture. Emerging from these negotiations was the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the SPS Agreement) which dealt specifically with the issue of measures to protect plant, animal and human health and life

[en] The current status of trade in horticultural products irradiated for phytosanitary purposes is examined, including trends, strengths and weaknesses. A strategy is proposed to take advantage of the best future opportunities for increasing trade in irradiated horticultural products by identifying best possibilities for expanding both the number and volume of commodities for irradiation and then applying appropriate business criteria in a general analysis of the commodities, commercial scenarios, and geographic regions where the greatest potential exists for expansion. The results show that fresh fruits such as mango, papaya, citrus, grapes, and vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, asparagus, garlic, and peppers from Asia and the Americas show the greatest potential. Substantial opportunities for additional growth exist, especially as regulatory conditions become more favorable. - Highlights: ► This research examined the trade in horticultural products irradiated for Phytosanitary purposes. ► Paper describes strategies for enhancing trade in irradiated horticultural products. ► Results identify commodities and regions with the greatest potential. ► Additional growth potential exists, especially as regulatory conditions become more favorable.