Russia may lift ban on Indian rice soon
14 Jul 2007
Mumbai: Russia is expected to lift the ban on rice, groundnut and sesame seeds from India, following assurances from the Indian government and the signing of a trade protocol.
The protocol on export of rice was signed earlier this week in Moscow wherein India assured that future consignments would be free of contamination. The Russian government has promised India that the lifting of the ban on the three products will be announced shortly.
The
ban was imposed in May this year, following alleged detection of pesticides in
rice and pests and harmful fungus in groundnut and sesame seeds imported from
India. India,
however, maintained that it adhered to international sanitary and phytosanitary
norms and the next crop of rice expected in November will be totally free of the
identified pesticide. India exports about 50,000 tonnes of rice to Russia every
year. India said that
data at the farm stage was not possible to collate in the country but Russia was
free to test the laboratories and testing facilities in India.
Officials from the Russian agency who visited India for an inspection in February
this year had sought safety certificates for each shipment of rice containing
information on pesticides
used for growing and storing rice, indicating dosages and dates of treatment.
.webp)
