It's 8 o'clock in the morning on a sunny day and Ricardo Negri stops typing on the computer to invite someone to have a mate and start talking about the little-known National Service of Health and Agri-Food Quality, which he has been in charge of for 374 days. In conversation with Customs News, the Agricultural Production Engineer reveals details of the debureaucratization, digitalization, opening of markets and why transparency is necessary in this organization that certifies 65% of the country's exports with Customs. And even more, he confesses the desire that all those who work at SENASA feel proud of serving society.
Question: What is SENASA?
Answer: SENASA (National Service for Food Safety and Quality) is a well-known organization in agro-industrial chains because it plays a double role: supervisor and certifier. On the one hand, it looks after the productive ecosystems so that they do not get sick. This involves everything from approving an agrochemical or any element that is going to be put into the productive system, to intervening in pests. If they exist (and are small in magnitude) SENASA encourages producers to eliminate them; if they do not exist, it works at the borders, with the help of universities and customs controls, so that the pest does not enter. There are cases of endemic diseases in cattle and plants that exceed the usual solutions. But if it is just starting, we attack it together.
On the other hand, SENASA guarantees the safety of the food we consume and certifies the same for those countries to which we export (work that it carries out in collaboration with Customs). The countries that receive our agro-industrial exports demand guarantees that what we sell does not make the production system or people sick. SENASA certifies 65% of Argentine exports, a joint task with Customs at the border, but SENASA's responsibility does not end there, but extends to the final consumer. We accompany the container on the ship until it passes the Customs of the destination country and is verified for health. Two complementary tasks are added: Customs is at the border for entry and exit and carries out fiscal control, while SENASA carries out a control associated with the health and safety of the product.
Q: What is the challenge of your management?
R: For me, it is transparency, because what SENASA sells is trust. You cannot be trustworthy if you are not transparent. De-bureaucratization, process-based management and the professionalization of the organization are also part of the challenge. The evidence of SENASA's professionalization is that all of us who work here feel proud of doing what we do, which has to do with our role in society, because we take care of the ecosystem and certify its safety.
With regard to debureaucratization, electronic phytosanitary and poultry certification was achieved to simplify procedures for private producers, as well as the implementation of Blockchain in certification to guarantee greater security, the expansion of the DTV-e (Electronic Plant Sanitary Transit Document) to other chains to improve traceability, the integration of the DTV-e with AFIP so that it also serves as a delivery note, the integration of the DTe (electronic transit document) with the Municipal Guides so that there is a Single Transit Document, and the implementation of Cross-Inspection Agreements with the provinces to guarantee a single Health standard.
Q: How is SENASA professionalized?
R: First, we need to be clear about our function, that is, why we do what we do. Second, we need to modify the structure of SENASA so that it is closer to the taxpayer. Third, we need to change processes and systems and update regulations; for example, we removed regulations that make no sense, such as one from 1897. No joke: 1897! Five or six regulations were superimposed to do the same thing. Depending on the shift, each official knew a different regulation and confused the taxpayer. So the de-bureaucratization was a way to improve that. On the other hand, an internal reorganization of the salary matrix (which includes income, positions, travel expenses) is the most important project today, because we are more than five thousand agents throughout the country.
Q: What other aspects does debureaucratization cover?
R: Debureaucratization has to do with regulations, with tariffs. When we started the administration there were more than 1800 tariffs and today we have 300. We were the agency that had the most records in the country. We were reducing or unifying, for example, import and export with Customs. Debureaucratization is a work plan, but it is also an attitude of understanding what the other does within the State so as not to ask for the same thing twice. On the other hand, technology simplifies procedures, since it connects agencies with each other.
In foreign trade we are working hard on de-bureaucratisation and digitalisation, which go hand in hand. In some cases, digitalisation comes first, followed by de-bureaucratisation.
Now, there are mechanisms such as electronic phytosanitary certification or ePhyto, where SENASA is ten years ahead of other health organizations. In this, we are global leaders. Among those who developed this certification, there is an Argentine and he is in SENASA. This is a spectacular project, because we are already including it in the Blockchain.
We are now working with Blockchain to secure products from the field to the border. For example, one of the most important parts of the agreement with China is that all meats (chicken, pork, beef, sheep) have the same certificate. The next step is digitalization.
If we manage to do this, we reduce the number of errors in the Customs of the other country. The process of debureaucratization goes hand in hand with the process of digitalization to improve controls and cross-checks. To make these cross-checks with papers, they must be in the same place and at the same time. On the other hand, digital control can be done from different places. Before, marketing fraud was undetectable. Fraud from the point of view of the sale of animals is a health fraud, but for the AFIP it is a tax fraud. Therefore, different types of risk can be defined: health, tax and safety. Whoever commits tax fraud is likely to commit other types of fraud. Therefore, transparency and controls are key.
Q: How far has digitalization progressed at SENASA?
R: We now have ePhyto, the electronic version of a phytosanitary certificate. By using it, Argentina becomes a reference country. This electronic certification allows us to exchange information more easily with the USA, Holland, Chile and New Zealand, and on the other hand, it generates a positive impact as it facilitates the trade of products of origin.
In addition, as I mentioned, we are going to incorporate Blockchain to ensure greater security when validating phytosanitary certificates. We expect to start using Blockchain for certificate validation during this month.
Q: How is SENASA's interaction with Customs since the implementation of the Single Window for Foreign Trade?
R: We are making great progress, although there are always things to improve. The integration of Customs and SENASA systems is very difficult due to the cultural differences of the two organizations. Now, we have a very good relationship with high-level officials and with the historical operational officials. Many times we come to an agreement and we expect the operational areas to do so as well. We have an agenda within VUCE and another more operational agenda that has to do with how we resolve daily problems. Regarding the effect of VUCE in other countries, it is extraordinary because it accompanies the SME in the first export, making everything easier. An example of this is New Zealand.
Q: How many markets have been opened?
R: Between 2016 and March 2018, 231 markets were opened. In March 2018, work was done on putting together a joint agenda with the Agroindustry, from which 113 negotiations were prioritized, of which 41 are of plant origin and 72 of animal origin. Based on the prioritization of markets, anyone who wants to open a new one must identify themselves, justify their desire and the degree of importance for it to involve a State policy.
Today, China is a priority. We already have the unified certificate for all meats. From now on, they can enter that market, with bone, boneless, chilled and frozen. Argentine meats are present in China; it is the biggest opportunity we have.
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Mini Bio
* Ricardo Negri (46 years old)
* Engineer in Agricultural Production (UCA) and MBA in Business Administration (IAE)
* Father of three children
* Hobby: fly fishing and coaching his children in rugby
* Phrase: “Everything I do is focused on the person. I want all of us who work at SENASA to feel proud of serving society. We are people who do things and things have value if we do them well, with love and responsibility.. "
Aduana News is the first Argentine customs newspaper to launch its digital version. With 20 years of experience, its publications and initiatives aim to provide the most relevant knowledge on customs issues in order to contribute to safe trade in the region.
