No Ban on Indian Spices in Singapore and Hong Kong
The Indian government has clarified that Indian spices have not been banned by Singapore and Hong Kong. In response to a query about foreign restrictions on Indian spices in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, explained that specific batches of a few spice mixtures exported from India were recalled by food safety authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore due to ethylene oxide (EtO) levels exceeding permissible limits. The Singapore Food Agency implemented a hold-and-test regime for the consignments from the associated brands for one month, but this does not constitute a ban on Indian spices.
Steps Taken to Ensure Compliance
The Spices Board has implemented several measures to prevent EtO contamination in exported spices. These include mandatory pre-shipment testing, comprehensive guidelines for exporters covering all stages from raw material procurement to transportation, and compliance with varying EtO limits of importing countries. All food commodities, including spices, must meet the standards set under India’s food safety and standards regulations, ensuring quality and safety for both domestic and imported products.
Projections for Foodgrain Production and Consumption
Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Ramnath Thakur, addressed a question on the assessment of foodgrain production and consumption in India. The NITI Aayog’s 2024 report, “Working Group Report on Crop Husbandry, Agriculture Inputs, Demand, and Supply,” projects that by 2025-26,
- The demand for foodgrains will be 303 million tonnes (mt) and cereals 272 mt, compared to supply estimates of 332 mt and 305 mt, respectively.
- However, the supply for pulses and vegetables is projected to fall short of demand, with estimates of 27 mt for pulses against a demand of 31 mt, and 224 mt for vegetables against a demand of 238 mt.
Growth and Support for FPOs
Responding to a separate question about the number of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) registered under the government’s FPO scheme, Thakur stated that as of June 30, 2024, a total of 8,875 FPOs have been registered. The total paid-up capital for these FPOs was approximately $7,56 million under the Central Sector Scheme for the ‘Formation and Promotion of 10,000 FPOs’. A cumulative amount of around $2,52 million was released as matching equity grants, and loans worth about $0,60 million have been issued to these FPOs. Currently, there are 19,68,868 shareholder farmers registered in FPOs across the country.
The Indian government assures that Indian spices have not been banned by Singapore and Hong Kong. Measures are in place to ensure compliance with food safety standards, and projections for foodgrain production and consumption indicate sufficient supply for most commodities. Additionally, the growth and support for FPOs continue to strengthen the agricultural sector.
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