Mango ban

Indian consumers continue to get a raw deal

The European Union's ban on the import of mangoes and four vegetables from India deserves further consideration. The question is whether the EU took into account the steps already taken by New Delhi to address the EU's concerns over the presence of pests, including fruit flies, in mangoes, bitter gourd, taro, eggplant and snake gourd. The new procedure introduced for export-bound consignments mandates that all perishable items should be routed through recognised pack houses under the vigilance of the National Plant Protection Organisation. In order to ensure that packaging material is free of infestation - and to ward off any future action on that count - New Delhi has instructed its customs authorities to allow shipments only in wood containers that bear the specified stamps of the plant quarantine officials.

The EU curbs hit right in the middle of the mango season. That harms not only Indian producers and exporters but also European importers, retailers and consumers. At this stage, it would be difficult for exporters to find new markets and customers for their products and also for importers to source their supplies from elsewhere. Several Indian varieties of mango - particularly the Alphonso - have a market niche in importing countries. Prices of these mangoes have already shot up in London and elsewhere in the United Kingdom, while these have crashed by 15 per cent in the mango-producing areas in India. Unsurprisingly, therefore, the voices of dissent against the restriction have erupted within the EU, particularly from the UK's mango traders and retailers. Notably, a motion has been moved in the British Parliament by a member calling for the reversal of the ban. If this embargo is perhaps retaliatory action by Brussels after New Delhi imposed new and burdensome labelling standards on imported wines, scotch and chocolates, then it needs to be revisited - since that would potentially affect the ongoing negotiations on the India-EU free-trade pact.

Importantly, this raises another vital question. Why are Indian exports always running afoul of health and sanitary standards abroad in different sectors and jurisdictions - but with no notable effects on domestic regulation? Given the strictures on Indian medicines, food and even cars recently passed by a variety of global regulators, it cannot all be a conspiracy against India. Are Indian lives so much cheaper than European ones that India's regulators will be defensive instead of taking foreign concerns on board? More domestic action is needed to tackle the menace of pest infestation, pesticide residue and lax sanitary and phytosanitary standards of farm goods. Indian consumers, too, have a right to consume foods that are safe and free of pests, pathogens and toxic residue. Farmers, food processors and marketers need to be educated about the judicious use of plant protection chemicals and the observance of strict hygiene standards in producing, handling and processing produce. Fruit flies, for example, the current bone of contention, can be eliminated through simple and safe treatments, such as hot water immersion of harvested fruits. There is little reason why such measures cannot be adopted on a larger scale to protect consumers at home and abroad, and to improve India's image as a reliable exporter of farm produce.