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US moves a step closer to lift entry restrictions on Indian fruits |
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NEW DELHI: Indian mangoes, grapes, pomegranates and lychees may soon find their way to the US market after Washington agreed to send its inspectors to approve the country's pre-shipment inspection process, moving a step closer to lifting entry restrictions on Indian fruit.
This was decided at the first bilateral video conferencing on agriculture last week as part of the collaborative effort to resolve the outstanding trade issues, a government official said. "The US assured us that they will be sending their inspectors in the coming months to approve our pre-shipment clearance process as we sought access for our mangoes, pomegranates, and lychees. Grapes consignment is almost ready to take off," the official said. "The matter is nearly sorted."
The two governments had set up a trade policy forum in November last year for regular interaction, and New Delhi has been strongly taking up non-tariff barriers imposed by Washington on Indian fresh farm products over sanitary and phytosanitary measures. India exported just $1 million, or about Rs 6.2 crore, worth of fresh mangoes to the US in 2013-14, which was just 2% of the country's overall mango exports of $50 million, or about Rs 310 crore, during the year.
While India exported $279 million, or about Rs 1,733 crore, worth of grapes that year, only $30,000, or Rs 18.6 lakh, worth of Indian grapes landed in the US. The issue relates to mango pesticide fumigation. India had suggested that the pre-clearance inspection be carried out by the National Plant Protection Organisation. Inspectors from the US will see if the scientific process followed to clear the consignments, the government official said. "We have an institutionalised mechanism for mango exports. The agreement between the US and India is about the process... consignments following the agreed process do not face problems," the official added.
In the Plant Health Technical Bilateral Meeting last month in US, India provided the requisite information related to pest-risk analysis for grapes. India has put in place various schemes for registration of pack houses and processing units and fresh fruit and vegetables to ensure compliance with international standards.
The European Union in January lifted a ban on Indian mangoes imposed last year after 207 consignments were found contaminated with pests like fruit flies in 2013. The ban was lifted after European Commission's team visited the country in September to inspect the packing houses and verify improvement in plant health controls and certification system with regard to fruits and vegetables.
However, the ban on four veggies — bitter gourd, eggplant snake gourd and taro — stays for now. At the bilateral video conferencing, the US also raised issues their consignments face in Indian ports on account of the labelling norms. On organic products exports, the US wanted to hold discussion on the matter to allow traceability of the consignment to confirm if it was actually organic. India asked the US to give a larger quota to export tobacco products. "We want to export more tobacco and they are good consumers of it. If other countries are not able to supply it, they should buy from India," said the official.
India is the third largest producer of tobacco. The US imports 1.7 lakh tonnes of tobacco each year. Most of it comes from nine countries; only 3,000 tonnes can be imported from the rest of the world as part of a tariff restricted quota system.
In case favoured nations are unable to meet their commitment, imports from the rest of the world attracts a high duty of close to 350%."We asked the US to reduce the duty and give us a larger quota to export, but they said they will like to discuss it at WTO," said the official. Currently, India exports close to 1,000 tonnes of tobacco to US each year.
Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com
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