The Hindu : National : Ministry withholds import permits for Chinese garlic

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 14, 2005

National

National

Ministry withholds import permits for Chinese garlic

T.S. Shankar

Move follows detection of fungus in consignments that arrived at Chennai and Mumbai ports

Garlic bulbs from China that have been banned by the Union Agriculture Ministry. — Photo: Special Arrangement

CHENNAI: The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation under the Union Ministry of Agriculture has decided to "withhold issue of import permits for import of garlic from China" with immediate effect due to detection of `Embellisia alli (fungus) and Urocystis cepulae' in consignments" which had arrived from China at the Chennai and Mumbai Ports.

In a directive, it urged the Regional Plant Quarantine Station (RPQS) to undertake detailed "Pest Risk Analysis" (PRA) for garlic import from China to prevent ingress of exotic pests and diseases. The Chinese Plant Quarantine authorities have been requested to furnish information to facilitate such analysis. Senior scientists and plant pathologists attached to the RPQS in Chennai spotted the fungus in 14 containers of garlic bulbs. The consignments had come in from China over the past one week. Each container had 14 metric tonnes of the garlic bulbs. A team of officials from Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also conducted surprise inspection of the samples collected from these consignments and have sent independent reports to the RPQS.

Highly-placed sources told The Hindu on Tuesday that if these "garlic consignments were cleared, it could have had a major impact on the export potential."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National