Dates production and packaging units must be upgraded and obtain certification label before markets are locked, say professionals who demand more support to exporters. \"We absolutely must move toward certification of production units so to comply with international standards,\" Najib Haddoud told APS, a member of the Association of Dates producers of Tolga. \"There are markets that we are closed to us such as Northern Europe, and even the EU southern countries began to require upgrading strategies and HACCP approach (a system which identifies, evaluates and controlq significant hazards in relation to food safety),\" added Haddoud.