The Hindu Business Line : `Stop imports of fruits, vegetables'

The Confederation of Indian Farmers' Alliance (CIFA) has urged the Union Government to stop import of fresh fruits and vegetables until it becomes possible to establish necessary infrastructure in the country's ports and airports for pesticides residue.

Welcoming the recent agri-technology agreement with the US, the Confederation has also cautioned against the new pesticides and chemicals used for preserving these products in the US and other countries.

Mr Chengal Reddy, Secretary General, CIFA, told Business Line that the Government should tell importers to ensure declaration of all the new pesticide molecules used by American farmers on and off-the-field (including preservatives) and "necessary approvals must be sought and obtained prior to exports to India".

Export figures

Mr Reddy said while import of these farm products into the country was on the increase, exports had declined.

Export of fresh fruits and vegetables declined from 1.29 million tonnes (mt) in 2003-04 to 1.24 mt in 2004-05.

In terms of rupee value, the decline (for 2004-05) is said to be more pronounced — from Rs 1,457 crore to Rs 1,299 crore.

He said the developed nations, including the US, were using new pesticides and other ingredients to improve farm productivity.

"As of now, the number of pesticides used in the US is 775, EU 600 and Thailand 280, when compared with 179 used in India."

According to the association, the new pesticides and chemicals used thereon were neither registered in India nor have they been approved by the Government regulatory authorities.

Mr Reddy said: "It is necessary, and in fact obligatory, on the part of the Indian Government to create a level-playing field in the era of WTO for Indian agriculture to sustain itself and survive."He said when agri commodities were exported, they were subjected to strict SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) checks, but when fresh fruits and vegetables were imported into India, they were not subjected to residue analysis. Strict SPS measures had begun to strangulate agri exports, he said.