Lok Sabha Question No. 5066 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-24
Subject: Export of Cardamom
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: T. R. Paarivendhar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5066 TO BE ANSWERED ON  24 th  JULY, 2019

## EXPORT OF CARDAMOM

## 5066. DR. T.R. PAARIVENDHAR:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वा�ण�य एवं उ�योग मं�ी ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Governments of Saudi Arabia and Japan have banned import of Cardamom from India;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the reasons  and  the  circumstances  leading  to  the  ban  on  cardamom  from  India  in  these countries; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Union Government to lift the said ban?

## ANSWER

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## THE MINISTER OF  COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a) to (c): No Sir. The Government of Saudi Arabia and  Japan have not banned import of cardamom from  India.  However,  Saudi  A rabia  Food  &  Drug  Authority  (SFDA)  had  detained      four  import consignments of cardamom (small) from India due to the detection of pesticide residue above the Maximum Residue Level (MRL) specified by the SFDA  in  April-May 2018. Thereafter, the exporters have voluntarily stopped export of cardamom to Saudi Arabia, fearing detention due to pesticide residue.

(d):  The Government, through the Spices Board, is conducting a series of campaigns in the cardamom growing areas in India to popularize the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices in cardamom among the cardamom growers and also promote the use of bio-control agents  for managing pests and diseases in cardamom.

Saudi Arabia  Foreign Ministry vide Note Verbale dated 9/10/2018 requested the Indian side to provide  accreditation  details  of the laboratories where tests are undertaken for pesticide residues in cardamom before exporting to  Saudi Arabia  and  the list of  leading  exporters and establishments exporting cardamom to Saudi Arabia, which were provided through  the Indian Embassy at Riyadh  on 9 th August, 2018 by the Spices Board. It was also requested to  enclose Laboratory Analysis Certificate confirming MRL compliance specified by the SFDA  issued by the Spices Board  for pesticide residues in cardamom with each export consignment of cardamom. To comply with this requirement of SFDA, the  list  of  pesticides  tested  by  SFDA  in  respect  of  small  cardamom  has  been  obtained.  Out  of  41 pesticides tested by SFDA,   Spices Board's Quality Evaluation Laboratory at Kochi has standardized 27 pesticides for testing and the remaining pesticides are being standardized.

A delegation from Saudi Arabia Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)  had visited Spices Board's Quality Evaluation Laboratory in Kochi, spices export processing units and cardamom plantation in December, 2018 and had  discussion with the  Spices Board's officials. The delegation requested the Board to send the details of pesticides used in cardamom by the Indian farmers so that testing can be done for the same pesticides in cardamom before exporting to Saudi Arabia. The details were provided to the SFDA through the Indian Embassy on 19 th February, 2019. The Spices Board has been advised to draw up a work plan immediately to address the issue of pesticide residue in cardamom to resume the export of cardamom to Saudi Arabia.

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