By Philip Buda Ladu
South Sudan National Bureau of Standards (SSNBS) has re-exported a consignment of maize flour found to be non-compliant with regional quality standards, officials announced on Saturday.
According to a statement issued by the SSNBS Nimule Border Station, a total of 1,800 bags of maize flour were inspected and found to violate the East African Standard (EAS) No. 44:2019.
Following procedures outlined in the Standards, Quality Assurance, Metrology, Testing, and Import Inspection (SQMT) Measures 2017, Section 23.3, the shipment was re-exported to its country of origin under the supervision of authorized SSNBS officers.
The bureau emphasized that the action was taken to uphold public health and safety, stressing that only products meeting the required quality standards would be allowed into the country.
“The SSNBS reiterates its unwavering commitment to safeguarding public health, enhancing consumer protection, and ensuring that only products that meet the requisite quality and safety standards are permitted into the Republic of South Sudan,” the statement read.
The re-exportation underscored the bureau’s strengthened inspection efforts at key border entry points, as South Sudan continues to tighten enforcement of quality regulations on imported goods.
On April 9, 2025 the South Sudan National Bureau of Standards (SSNBS) conducted an interception and disposed a consignment of non-compliant yellow peas and maize grains at Nimule border.
Subsequent laboratory testing carried out in accordance with East African Standards (EAS), revealed that the grains failed to meet the necessary quality and safety benchmarks.
The SSNBS reported that the yellow peas and maize grains were found to be physically damaged, contained high levels of impurities and foreign materials, and exhibited a poor overall appearance, prompting their dumping.
In its statement, the Bureau urged all importers and stakeholders to strictly comply with both national and regional quality standards.
The SSNBS also called for their cooperation in the Bureau’s ongoing efforts to ensure the quality assurance of goods entering the country.