Despite nudging by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the European Union remained non-committal about reviewing a new regulation on basmati rice that would potentially stop exports to the EU nations after December 30.
Donald Franciszek Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, presidents of the European Council and the European Union, told Modi that reviewing the law would be possible only if the plant protection company comes up with data to support claims that the residual fungicide in the rice will not harm its citizens.
Introduced on June 9 last, the regulation wants residue level -or permissible limit- of fungicide Tricyclazole in imported Basmati Rice from 1.00 milligram per kilogram to 0.01 milligram per kilogram. The fungicide Tricyclazole is widely used by rice-growers across India. Basmati rice exporters at home had urged Modi to nudge the leaders to agree for a review, since the new regulations would be a telling blow on their earnings from selling the rice to the EU countries.
India exports over 350,000 tonnes of Basmati Rice, valued at over Rs1,700 crore, to European Union countries every year. The rice farmers and traders have been concerned over implication of the new regulation on the export of the cereal grain from India to Europe.
The Prime Minister raised the issue with the two leaders during the 14th India-EU summit held in New Delhi on Friday.
“With regard to import tolerance level of Tricyclazole in rice the relevant plant protection companies will be invited to present new scientific data in order for the European Food Safety Authority to carry out an additional risk assessment without delay,” read a joint statement of the EU with India after the meeting.