The Hindu : Front Page : Wheat: Centre may revise quality norms

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 03, 2006

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Front Page

Wheat: Centre may revise quality norms

Gargi Parsai

Australian wheat cleared of pesticide residue

NEW DELHI: Even as the imported Australian wheat that arrived at the Chennai port last week was cleared on Tuesday of a pesticidal residue, the Centre is preparing to revise the quality specifications for the 30 lakh tonnes of wheat to be imported for the Targeted Public Distribution System. A meeting to this effect was held in the Cabinet Secretariat on Tuesday and an amendment to the Plant Quarantine Order of 2003 is likely to be issued soon.

The request for relaxation in the "tolerance limits" of exotic weeds was made by the Ministry of Food to the Ministry of Agriculture after the former received representations from several countries that were left out of the reckoning when the first order for 5 lakh tonnes of wheat was placed with the Australian Wheat Board.

These countries included the U.S., Canada, the European Union, France, Russia and Australia.

The State Trading Corporation will soon float a tender for the import of 30 lakh tonnes for the TPDS as stocks have fallen and procurement in the ongoing rabi season has been below expectations. As against 125 lakh tonnes of wheat last year, only 88 lakh tonnes has been procured so far for the TPDS even after the Centre hiked the support price from Rs. 650 per quintal to Rs. 700 per quintal.

According to highly placed sources, the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, had carried sample tests and cleared the first instalment of Australian wheat containing traces of Fenitrothion pesticide under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act.

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