The UAE has lifted the ban on fruits and vegetable exports from Kerala, imposed in the wake of the Nipah virus outbreak.

Exporters in the State have received confirmation from airline companies in the Gulf that the ban on export of perishable export products (PEP) has been lifted by the UAE. The export sector had slipped into a crisis during the 40-day ban.

Airline clearance

PE Ashraf Ali of Pomona Exports, Kozhikode, told BusinessLine that exporters had received emails from airline companies such as Air Arabia intimating the lifting of the ban. The airlines have also asked exporters to fill all the flights with cargo from Thursday.

However, Ali said the companies catering to shipment of fruits and vegetables are waiting for the ‘plant quarantine’ certification. The authorities here maintain that they have not yet received any official communication in this regard.

“We are ready to start shipment any time from the three airports in Kerala once the official order comes through,” Ali said, adding that the 40-day ban had caused an estimated loss of around $2-3 lakh daily. Kerala ships around 150 tonnes of fruits and vegetables daily to the Gulf countries and Cochin International Airport alone handles around 100 tonnes.

With the lifting of ban by the UAE, Ali expressed the hope that other Gulf nations would follow suit shortly. He commended the efforts of all agencies, including the State government, in tackling the crisis.

Alternate routes

C Manoj of BVM Fruits, Kondotty near Kozhikode, said some of the companies had attempted a minimum quantity movement through Chennai, Mangaluru, Bengaluru airports during the ban period to meet the export obligation. However, they gave up the plan due to the high cost involved in road transportation.

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research has confirmed that fruit bats were the primary source of the Nipah outbreak. The samples from fruit bats tested positive for the virus, confirming that they were the source of infection in the region.

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