Pakistan banned all shipments of red kidney beans from Ethiopia. Pakistani Ministry of National Food Security and Research noted the decision was made following a concern over a “serious, destructive and virulent quarantine disease”, widely known as ‘Fusarium chlamydosporum’.

The directive by the Department of Plant Protection of Pakistan stipulates red bean shipments imported from Ethiopia have been tested to be unsafe for human consumption and were refused entry.

The ban was made effective from Wednesday, March 29, 2017 and it is for an indefinite period.

Beans from Ethiopia are said to carry high levels of phytohemagglutinin, potentially making them vulnerable to turning toxic.

Pakistan, according to The Reporter, is one of the major importers of food items from Ethiopia. The ban is going to be a huge blow for local exporters to the reputation of local beans.

Ethiopian red kidney has been traded by the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) on its floor starting from last year.

Source: The Reporter