Traces of a controversial organic compound that is used for dyeing have been found in rapeseed meal consignments to China, threatening to affect India's rapeseed/mustard meal exports to the neighbour.

“We have been told by our Embassy in China that rapemeal shipments contained 0.5-2 parts per billion (ppb) of malachite green in recent shipments. We are trying to detect the possible source of contamination,” said Mr B. V. Mehta, Executive Director, Solvent Extractors Association of India, the apex body for oilseed crushers in the country.

A ship containing 16,000 tonnes of the contaminated rapemeal is stuck in China. Besides, a few other consignments, too, have been found contaminated with malachite green, a carcinogen that has the potential to affect respiratory organs.

It also affects a cell's ability to produce energy.

During the first quarter of the current fiscal, rapemeal consignments to China made up 41 per cent of the 3.74 lakh tonnes (lt) shipped out of the country.

Last year, Beijing imported 3.96 lt of the total 9.36 lt exported.

“We cannot afford to lose a market from where we get Rs 600 crore a year,” said Mr Mehta.

The compound could have originated from some fish pond where it is used to tackle fungus. “We have got samples of rapeseed, rapeseed cake and rapemeal and sent them for testing. We have drawn samples from various rapeseed growing areas,” said Mr Mehta. Even food-grade hexane, domestic and imported, is being examined to zero in on the source of contamination, as India now has the facility to detect even the slightest contamination.

“The contamination could have come from jute bags where green dyes are used. Jute bags are used to carry rapeseed from the farm to market and to factories,” said Mr Mehta.

Crushers' lobby

The oilseed crushers' lobby has asked the Jute Research Institute to examine if there could be any chance of contamination from the natural fibre.

Similarly, the Bharatpur-based Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, an arm of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, has been asked to look into the issue.

Meanwhile, the association has approached the Indian embassy in China to find out the tolerance limit for the compound.

Besides, exporters have now been told by the association to enter into contracts on the condition that analysis of the consignments at the loading port will be final.

“We have told them not to agree for quality certification at the discharging port since any problem will lead to loss,” said Mr Mehta.

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