January 23, 2012
Following a complaint by China, an Indian government study has found that the source of contamination in its rapeseed meal exports is a green dye used for marking jute bags.
"It may be concluded that the primary source of contamination of rapeseed meal with Malachite Green is the green dye, which is used on the jute bags to print identification marks," a senior Agriculture Ministry official said, referring to the findings of the study.
The study was conducted by a team comprising officials of the Agriculture and Commerce Ministry and members of vegetable oil industry body Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) following a complaint by China. The findings of the study were submitted to the government in December, 2011.
"This has been substantiated by detection of traces of Malachite Green and Leuco Malachite Green in portions of jute bags with green markings that were subjected to laboratory tests. It is also learnt from trade that the green dye used for marking jute bags contains Malachite Green," the official added.
Last year, China had complained about the presence of Malachite Green, a highly toxic chemical, in the rapeseed meal that it imported from India.
Malachite Green is an organic compound that is used for dying materials such as silk, leather and paper and is suspected of being a carcinogen as well as teratogen (a chemical that can alter DNA make - up) and respiratory poison.
The study group was formed after an inter-ministerial meeting held in September, 2011, headed by a senior Commerce Ministry official to look into the causes of the Malachite Green contamination in rapeseed meal detected by China.
Based on the study group's recommendation, the government has issued an advisory to farmers, oil mills, intermediaries and exporters to stop the use of jute bags with green markings to avoid contamination, the official said.
India exported 271,000 tonnes of rapeseed meal to China in the April-December, 2011, period.
Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat are the major mustard-producing states of India.
