Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Central Board of Excise & Customs
North Block, New Delhi
Circular No. 2 /2010-Customs
9th February, 2010
To
All Chief Commissioners of Customs / Customs (Prev.).
All Chief Commissioners of Customs & Central Excise.
All Commissioners of Customs / Customs (Prev.).
All Commissioners of Customs (Appeals).
All Commissioners of Customs & Central Excise.
All Commissioners of Customs & Central Excise (Appeals).
Subject: Import of frozen green peas – regarding.
Sir/ Madam,
I am directed to invite your attention to the Board’s Circular No.
39/2004-Customs dated 3.6.2004 and Instructions F.No.450/19/2005-Cus.IV 2nd
April, 2009 regarding implementation of the provisions of Phytosanitary
requirements under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order,
2003.
- Now, it has been brought to the notice of Board by the Ministry of
Agriculture that import of agriculture commodities into India is permitted only
after conducting Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) for the commodity and subsequent
notification under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order,
2003. PRA involves detailed study and documentation after consulting various
published scientific data/literature to identify pests associated with it, their
morphology, behaviour, risk posed etc., thereby identifying pests of quarantine
importance to India with prescription of suitable scientific risk mitigation
measures. Further, the imported agricultural commodities are subjected to
inspection before clearance to ensure freedom from pests and diseases. However,
certain instances have come to the notice where consignments of frozen green
peas imported from China were released by customs without referring these to the
Plant Quarantine authorities. This is of serious concern in view of the risk
posed to bio-security of the country as the frozen green peas may be infested
with the nematode pest.
- Accordingly, it is requested that all import consignments of frozen green
peas should be referred to Plant Quarantine authorities for proper inspection,
and clearance should be permitted only after necessary no objection certificate/ phytosanitary clearance etc., has been given by the Plant Quarantine
authorities.
- Further, instructions contained in Board’s Circular No. 39/2004-Customs dated
3.6.2004 and Instructions F.No.450/19/2005-Cus.IV 2nd April, 2009 are hereby
reiterated.
- These instructions may be brought to the notice of all concerned by way of
issuance of suitable Public Notice / Standing Order.
- Difficulties, if any, in implementation of the Circular may be brought
immediately to the notice of the Board.
Yours sincerely,
(Navraj Goyal)
Under Secretary (Customs Policy)
F. No.450/14/2010-Cus.IV