Indian policies in the food and poultry sector pose significant trade barriers between the US and India, according to a report of the US Trade Representative (USTR).

 

"Since 2003, India has imposed unwarranted Sanitary and Phystosanitary (SPS) requirements on US dairy imports, which have precluded US access to India's dairy market, one of the largest in the world. India has insisted on onerous certification requirements and refused to accept US food safety and animal health standards as effective," the USTR said in its annual report on SPS Barriers to Trade.

 

The report said that India maintains zero-tolerance standards for certain plant quarantine pests, such as weed seeds and ergot. Such zero tolerance standards block US wheat and barley exports to India. Bilateral discussions to resolve these issues continue.

 

The USTR, expressing its displeasure on Indian policy in pulses, said this requires that shipments of all pulses to India be fumigated with at methyl bromide (MB) at the port of origin.

 

It said that in August 2004, the US asked India to permit the exportation of US pea and pulse consignments to India without fumigation at the port of origin provided they are inspected and, if necessary, fumigated at the port of arrival.

 

The report also said India has enacted, but not implemented a requirement that shipments of all pulses to India be fumigated at the point of origin, allowing MB fumigation on arrival, but has offered no permanent solution. The most recent extension expires on March 31, 2014. The US continues to seek a permanent resolution to this issue.

 

Noting that the Indian import certificate for pork requires importers to make an attestation that the imported pork does not contain any residues of pesticides, veterinary drugs, mycotoxins, or other chemicals above the MRLs prescribed in international standards, the report rued that these certificates fail to identify specific compounds and their corresponding international limits, creating uncertainty for importers.

 

Similarly, the animal health attestations that India requires for the exportation of pork to India are vague, and India requires extra inspections that do not appear to be consistent with international standards, it said.

 

India also prohibits imports from the US of pork products obtained from animals raised outside the US, notwithstanding the safety of those products. Further, import certificates are valid for only six months and must be obtained for each imported lot.

 

The USTR said the US will continue to press India to lift its unwarranted restrictions and to revise its import certificates so as to clarify any legitimate requirements and be valid for a reasonable period of time.