Phytosanitary norms not to be diluted: EGoM
Siddharth Zarabi / New Delhi September 17, 2007
Govt ignores US pressure for relaxation ahead of wheat imports.

India has decided not to dilute phytosanitary norms for imported wheat
consignments in view of the risks of harmful weeds and pests entering
the agricultural chain.

An empowered group of ministers (EGoM) on wheat headed by External
Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee recently accepted the recommendation
of a committee of secretaries (CoS) to this effect.

The CoS had recommended that diluting phytosanitary norms should not
be undertaken, given that imported wheat is meant for the public
distribution system, so the seeds and resulting harmful weeds end up
in the fields and seriously impact production.

The refusal to relax phytosanitary norms comes after the US said it
was not in a position to certify that its wheat met Indian tolerance
limits for quarantine weeds.

US officials have criticised India's phytosanitary regime as being
unjustifiably stiff and lobbied for a relaxation, saying US
participation in India�s wheat imports would lower import prices.

The government proposes to import up to 4 million tonnes of wheat
through multiple tenders for the current financial year to meet a
shortfall in its targeted domestic procurement of 15 million tonnes.
The EGoM was set up in March this year to work on a strategy to
augment domestic wheat stocks.

The issue over phytosanitary standards concerns �tolerance� levels of
quarantine weeds stipulated in the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of
Import into India) Order, 2003. Most wheat-exporting countries like
Australia, Russia, Ukraine, Argentina and Canada meet India' s
requirements on this score.

India, however, relaxed phytosanitary norms significantly in July
2006, when it imported 6 million tonnes of wheat to augment domestic
stocks for public distribution.

Though the number of detected weeds was within prescribed limits, the
agriculture ministry said the issue remained a concern.

Indian government agencies have estimated that the canary grass
(phalaris minor) weed seeds, which seeped in with previous imports,
invaded wheat-growing areas especially in Punjab and Haryana. This
weed has caused a 15 per cent loss in yield equivalent to 4.4 million
tonnes and Rs 3,740 crore.

The authorities have also said that controlling this weed consumes an
estimated 57 per cent of the total herbicides used in India, with
farmers spending around Rs 320 crore annually on weed killers.

Another weed � parthenium � has spread all over the country, causing
health problems and concurrent economic losses.

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