Non-fumigated wheat

Why in news?

From March 31, 2017, the wheat imports to India must be fumigated with methyl bromide at the port of origin, else, the cargo would be disallowed from entering Indian shores.

What is fumigation?

• Fumigation is a method of pest control that completely fills an area with gaseous pesticides (or fumigants) that suffocates or poisons the pests within.
• It is mainly used to control pests in buildings (structural fumigation), soil, grain, and produce.
• It is also used during processing of goods to be imported or exported to prevent transfer of exotic organisms.

Why is India insisting on fumigation?

• It is seen as the most effective way to kill all pests, insects and nematodes.
• Substitution is a costly proposition and a tricky one in colder climates.
• Instead of methyl bromide, aluminium phosphide can be used as a fumigant.
• But what can be done in 16 hours with methyl bromide takes three days with aluminium phosphide and the cost also increases three times.

What is the plant quarantine order?

• The Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 has a stipulation that all imports of agricultural produce be fumigated with methyl bromide.
• However, the developed nations are agitated over this stipulation.
• The reason being Methyl bromide is forbidden in developed nations, and its use was restricted by the Montreal Protocol due to its role in ozone depletion.
• In the past, if fumigation is not done at the port of origin, the consignments cane be fumigated at Indian ports on paying a penalty of around of $375 per tonne against the normal fee of $75 per tonne.
• But, from March 31, fumigation will have to be done only at the port of origin.

What is the recent issue?

• Some global companies, in collusion with importers, are forging the certificates showing ships were fumigated.
• This could lead to tonnes of non-fumigated wheat entering India among imports over 5.5 million tonnes in 2016-17.
• To avoid paying $375 per tonne, some importers showed wheat consignments were fumigated en route.

What is government’s response?

• The new rules from March 31 could permit some relaxations, given that imports have already been contracted.
• In the meantime, India could allow import of wheat from countries till the time it analyses pest risk control reports sent by them.
• The Press Trust of India recently said that the government was considering relaxing rules related to fumigating pulses imported from Canada.

Source: Business Line