SC orders destruction of Chinese garlic cargo

The Supreme Court today ordered the destruction of a consignment of garlic from China as it was dangerous if consumed by humans and harmful to Indian agriculture if not destroyed. The Customs authorities were directed to take the consignment from the warehouse and set it afire at the cost of the importer — Exim Rajathi India Ltd.

The Bombay High Court had earlier directed fumigation of the 56 tonnes of garlic before release to the market. However, the authorities appealed to the apex court against the high court’s release order.

They argued that there was a strong risk of this fungus (at present totally absent in India) affecting the future cultivation in India for the reason that the scales of such infected garlic are thrown into dust bins as garbage and used a manure after use.

This is one of the ways by which some of the fungus got introduced in countries, including India and elsewhere, and causing permanent damage to the crops, which the agricultural experts found difficult to solve.