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G. Srinivasan

New Delhi, June 22

Organic food might fetch premium price abroad but any laxity in compliance standards for the organic produce would invite rejection from the importing country instantly as is borne out by the return of an export consignment of organic rice from India to Finland recently.

According to a recent notification received by the Commerce Ministry on Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed from the European Commission in Brussels, the test results of Finnish Customs Laboratory showed that the export consignment of organic long grain aromatic rice from a private exporter in Haryana to Helsinki contained pesticide residues in organic rice, particularly inorganic bromide 23 mg/kg indicating the possible fumigation with methyl bromide.

Official sources told Business Line here that last year, India exported 33 products (including, processed items) realising $77 million with the major organic products covering tea, spices, honey, basmati rice, coffee, vegetables, cereals, dry fruits, sesame seeds and medicinal plants.

They said that under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), the Commerce Ministry devises policies for development and certification of organic products, national standards for organic products, accreditation of certification bodies and encourages the development of organic cultivation and processing. APEDA is the Secretariat for implementation of the NPOP.

They said APEDA was getting reports from the exporters of organic products that some consignments were rejected at ports in the EU and other countries last year and early this year. APEDA said wooden pallets used for organic products export were being treated with methyl bromide which is prohibited in organic standards the world over.

Accordingly, APEDA apprised the Directorate of Plant Protection and Quarantine and Storage not to insist on the methyl bromide fumigation for export of organic produce.

This was followed up by all inspecting office for phyto-sanitary inspection and APEDA has issued an advisory to the exporters of organic food products that the treatment of methyl bromide is banned in the export of organic food products.

Despite these clear instructions from APEDA on the avoidance of methyl bromide, the recent detection of an export consignment containing the prohibited chemical has shown the chinks in the official armour, reflecting the failure of certification agencies in ensuring the integrity of the organic produce. The fact that the rejected consignment has carried premium logo such as ECOCERT, a leading French Certification Agency which has been carrying more than 100 projects across the country on organic agriculture production and Fair Trade and India Organic shows that these certifying agencies might have wittingly or unwittingly ‘compromised’ standards on commercial grounds , taking advantage of the consumers’ ignorance of the organic produce.

Hence, before APEDA appends “India Organic” logo on top of the export consignment after the certifying agencies vouch for the genuineness of the organic produce, it should undertake a performance audit of these agencies in conformity with NPOP standards, trade policy analysts say.

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Finland rejects organic rice consignment from India

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