The Hindu Business Line : Govt amends plant quarantine norms — Trade upset over methyl bromide stipulation

THE latest amendment to the controversial plant quarantine regulations for plants and planting material in force from January 1 this year has left the pulses trade fuming as none of the concerns of the trade have been addressed.

Last week, the Ministry of Agriculture issued a gazette notification called Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) (Amendment) Order 2004.

An important feature of the amendment is that import permit would be valid for a period of six months from the date of issue and would be valid for shipment in three parts provided the exporter, the importer and the country of origin are the same for the entire consignment.

The most crucial issue for the pulses trade is the stipulation that methyl bromide be used as the fumigant. "Not only importers here, even overseas suppliers are upset with the condition because in many countries methyl bromide was phased out some time ago on environmental consideration such as injury to the ozone layer," a trader pointed out.

Suppliers in Canada, Australia and Tanzania, to name a few, are unwilling to ship pulses to India because of the impossibility of compliance. Some sellers are said to be willing to consider shipment on condition that risk of clearance at the Indian port be with the Indian importer.

Another stipulation that continues to rankle the trade here is the condition that the Indian import permit number should be mentioned in the phyto-sanitary certificate issued by the exporting country. "Officials here do not understand business and are making phyto-sanitary certificate a negotiable instrument or a bargaining chip between overseas sellers and Indian buyers," said an irate importer.

Importers are also upset over the reintroduction of import permit system.

For pulses, the system of obtaining a permit in advance was withdrawn some time in 1993. The import permit system goes against the spirit of import under open general license, said a trade intermediary.

On the provocation for the issue of an elaborate plant quarantine regulation, several theories are doing the rounds in the market. One of them is that the Government has imposed stiff norms as a retaliatory measure against certain countries. How far this is true is anybody's guess.

Despite being the world's largest producer of a variety of pulses, India imports about 20 lakh tonnes every year to bridge the demand-supply gap. Pulses are the cheapest source of vegetable protein for the poor. However, the per capita pulses availability has been dropping alarming over the years.

More Stories on : Exports & Imports | Standards & Benchmarks | Foodgrains

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Govt amends plant quarantine norms — Trade upset over methyl bromide stipulation