EU using pesticide content as trade barrier, say grape farmers

PUNE: After accusing Indian grapes of having high pesticide residues last year that forced exporters to offer substantial discounts, European health authorities allowed them to be consumed locally.

That has annoyed local grape growers who allege residue levels are being used as a non-tariff barrier by the European Union to extract good deals from suppliers.

Jos van Meggelen, senior advisor, international cooperation, Food and Product Safety Authority, Netherlands, said on phone: “Of approximately 3,500 containers sent to Europe, about 1,500 containers were put on hold. We did not destroy any grapes.

Only 5-10 containers were sent back. The rest of them were sold in the EU as the residue levels were not dangerous from the food safety issue.” European countries had rejected Indian grapes last year as some of them had higher levels of chlormequat than 0.05 mg/kg, the statutory maximum residue level of the EU.