Govt set to ease quarantine norms for pulses import .

Mumbai, Aug. 7 Canadian pulses exporters can now heave a sigh of relief and hope to do more business with India in less uncertain conditions.

The prospect of problems associated with phyto-sanitary or plant quarantine clearance for imported pulses being resolved appears bright.

The Indian quarantine law requires that each imported consignment be certified by an official agency at the origin for having been tested for named pests (including stem and bulb nematode) and indicating that shipments have been fumigated with methyl bromide.

The Canadian side has been claiming that the Indian procedure adds significant risk and cost for Canadian pea exporters.

As an interim measure, imported parcels were fumigated at the discharge port.

Last month, at the invitation of Pulse Canada, the official agency for promotion of Canadian pulses worldwide, a delegation of Indian plant protection officials was in Canada and met the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to amicably resolve the issue of certifying pulses shipments as free from stem and bulb nematode, admittedly present in small numbers in Canadian consignments.

Win-Win Arrangement

According to Pulse Canada, the Indian officials and CFIA have agreed on a draft technical arrangement that will provide for Canadian pulse shipments to be fumigated with methyl bromide upon arrival in India (an arrangement that has been going on in recent years with six-monthly extensions). Importantly, the agreement will remove the need for CFIA to test each shipment for stem and bulb nematode in order to issue the phyto-sanitary certificate.

Pulse Canada believes that the agreement, when implemented, will be win-win for both countries as it would eliminate the largest risk for Canadian pea exporters — the risk of shipment testing positive for stem and bulb nematode.

It will also provide more certainty about India's import requirement over the medium to long term. Besides, it will benefit India by reducing costs of supply from its largest supplier of pulses.

 The technical arrangement will of course have to receive approval both in Canada and India. For years, India has been rather concerned about exotic pests and diseases entering the country through agricultural imports and therefore put in place a strict plant quarantine regimen that seeks to protect domestic agriculture.

India's is world's largest producer, importer and consumer of pulses. Canada accounts for more than half of the country's annual imports of about 3.5 million tonnes.

Source : thehindubusinessline.com