Traders oppose DGFT notification on guar gum exports
Traders have opposed a government rule that makes it mandatory for them to obtain quality certification from Hyderabad-based Vimta Labs for any guar gum exports to the European Union.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: Traders have opposed a government rule that makes it mandatory for them to obtain quality certification from Hyderabad-based Vimta Labs for any guar gum exports to the European Union.
A Directorate General of Foreign Trade notification on Thursday said exporters would be allowed to ship consignments abroad "subject to endorsement by Shellac and Forest Products Export Promotion Council (SHEFEXIL) of original analytical report for testing of PCP (presence of dioxins and pentachlorophenol) issued by Vimta Labs".
"Now SHEFEXIL will only endorse the consignments which are certified by Vimta Labs," Council's executive Director Debjani Roy said. She also added that there was no ban by the EU on guar gum exports from India and what it wanted was the safety of the product.
But exporters said there was no need for samples tested in the EU to be tested again at Vimta Labs here. They said the procedure of getting quality certification from the Hyderabad-based lab and again an endorsement certification from Kolkata-based SHEFEXIL will only delay the shipment, as guar gum is produced mainly in Rajasthan and Haryana.
Guar gum exports from India to the EU were stalled last year after high level of dioxin was found in one of the five consignments. The European Commission had on August 1, 2007 asked member-nations to take measures to avoid "contamination" in guar gum.
A team from the European Union had visited India in October last year to assess the the level of dioxins in guar gum exports from India.
India is the leading exporter of guar gum making up nearly 85 per cent of the global production, while Pakistan is the other major exporter.
A Directorate General of Foreign Trade notification on Thursday said exporters would be allowed to ship consignments abroad "subject to endorsement by Shellac and Forest Products Export Promotion Council (SHEFEXIL) of original analytical report for testing of PCP (presence of dioxins and pentachlorophenol) issued by Vimta Labs".
"Now SHEFEXIL will only endorse the consignments which are certified by Vimta Labs," Council's executive Director Debjani Roy said. She also added that there was no ban by the EU on guar gum exports from India and what it wanted was the safety of the product.
But exporters said there was no need for samples tested in the EU to be tested again at Vimta Labs here. They said the procedure of getting quality certification from the Hyderabad-based lab and again an endorsement certification from Kolkata-based SHEFEXIL will only delay the shipment, as guar gum is produced mainly in Rajasthan and Haryana.
Guar gum exports from India to the EU were stalled last year after high level of dioxin was found in one of the five consignments. The European Commission had on August 1, 2007 asked member-nations to take measures to avoid "contamination" in guar gum.
A team from the European Union had visited India in October last year to assess the the level of dioxins in guar gum exports from India.
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India is the leading exporter of guar gum making up nearly 85 per cent of the global production, while Pakistan is the other major exporter.
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