KOCHI: The European Union has lifted its three-year ban on import of some vegetables from India, an Agriculture Ministry official said in Kochi today. The Union Government received communication from the European Union ending the three-year ban on import of some vegetables, including bitter gourd, snake gourd and aubergines, said a Cochin International Airport Limited release, quoting R S Arora, Assistant Director of the Agriculture Ministry's export/import section.
He was speaking at a seminar organised by CIAL Air Cargo Department.
In May 2014, a ban was imposed by the European Commission on the import of mangoes, bitter gourd, egg plant, snake gourd and taro leaves from India on grounds of interceptions of harmful organisms leading to fears on account of bio-security of the region.
The decision had led to an adverse impact on farmers and exporters in India.
The European Commission after conducting field surveys and audit in its meeting in Brussels in January last year had decided to lift the ban on import of mangoes from India.
Earlier, the Union government had said it was taking all diplomatic steps to help get the European Union ban on some Indian vegetables lifted.
Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman had taken up the issue with European Union officials and had also discussed with various European nations, including the United Kingdom.
Source: ndtv.com