NEW DELHI (Commoditiescontrol) - Narendra Modi and Justin Trudeau on Friday emphasised the importance of ensuring access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food for all, and noted that transparency and predictability of market access conditions, including sharing of information on production of agricultural commodities, are key in advancing the food security goals of both countries.
"India and Canada will work closely together to finalise an arrangement within 2018 to enable the export of Canadian pulses to India free from pests of quarantine importance, with mutually acceptable technological protocols," the joint statement said.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency will continue to work closely with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority to facilitate access for Indian organic products.
The statement was issued following talks between India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Canada is the world’s biggest exporter of pulse crops, a popular protein source in India.
India has made it mandatory for pulses cargoes to be fumigated with methyl bromide at the port of loading to prevent insects and pests from reaching Indian shores.
Use of the chemical is banned in Canada, as it is considered an environmental and health hazard.
India had renewed the extensions regularly since 2004. Initially the renewals happened annually and later every six months. In July the extension was changed again to three months for Canada, with the latest expiring Sept. 30. The fumigation exemption was never renewed.
Sellers flouting this norm have to pay stiff penalties. The penalty is five times the inspection fee for the first default, seven times the inspection fee on second default and ten times the fee on the third instance of default. For subsequent defaults, the penalty increases exponentially.
"This is a financial penalty that is not warranted from plant protection perspective," Pulse Canada Chief Executive Officer Gordon Bacon said.
Extremely low temperatures in Canada are an effective control against pest populations, Bacon said.
"Because of our very short growing season and our intensely cold winter we do not have the kind of stored pests that other countries have to deal with," he said.
The country also follows a systems-based approach for pest management that involves careful monitoring at field level and stringent action if pest infestations do crop up.
Canada shared its pest management approach with the Indian government about a year ago. "If Indian scientists come to the same conclusion that Canadian scientists have, then the requirement of fumigation for Canadian origins should be removed," he said.
Chris Chivilo, President and CEO of Canadian pulse processor W.A. Grain & Pulse Solutions, participated in the CEO panel at the Prime Minister's Round Table. Chivilo, who is also a member of the Canadian Special Crops Association, addressed the issues of fumigation, exemption from changes to government policy that result in increased costs for cargo en route to India and the need for predictability and transparency in changes to government policy impacting pulses.
"The pulse industry made real progress today," said Chivilo. "The joint statement issued after the meeting I attended is an important milestone in pulse trade relations between Canada and India. The Prime Ministers have recognized the importance of food security and science-based approaches to plant protection policy. We will need to continue this collaboration and finalize solutions that will work for both Canada and India."
Lee Moats, Chair of Pulse Canada's Board of Directors, was also in India attending the Canada-India Business Council meetings, where he had an opportunity to speak to Prime Minister Trudeau.
"The industry has been working alongside the Canadian government to address the challenges of the evolving pulse trade relationship with India," said Moats. "It is clear to me that we can count on the Prime Minister to be in our corner."
India is the world's largest consumer and importer of pulses, with most of its overseas purchases sourced from Canada, Myanmar, Australia, and African countries.
Canada had last year exported about 4.5 million tonnes pulses of its total production of about 7.4 million tonnes, and more than 50 percent of its exports of yellow peas, lentils and chickpeas were destined for India.
(By Commoditiescontrol Bureau; +91-22-40015533)
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