Report

FSSAI has acted on complaints about the sale of prohibited Chinese garlic in Chennai markets and directed the Tamil Nadu government to investigate. Parliament was informed on Tuesday about this directive. India banned garlic imports from China in September 2005 after detecting the fungi Embellisia alli and Urocytsis cepulae in previous shipments.

Authorities Seize Over 1,000 Tonnes of Chinese Garlic

In a written response to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Agriculture Ram Nath Thakur reported that CBIC (Central Board Of Indirect Taxes & Customs) and DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) seized 546 tonnes of Chinese garlic in 2023-24 and 507 tonnes in 2024-25. He also confirmed that FSSAI received complaints about the sale of Chinese garlic in Chennai. Acting on these complaints, FSSAI instructed the Tamil Nadu Food Safety Department to conduct monitoring and surveillance. Additionally, the Department of Agriculture directed all Plant Quarantine Stations to block the entry of banned Chinese garlic into India.

Import of Agricultural Products Under Strict Regulations

The Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003, regulates agricultural imports. The Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and Storage (DPPQ&S), Faridabad, conducts pest risk assessments, while exporting nations must implement pest control measures before sending goods to India. Multiple agencies, including Plant Quarantine Stations, CBIC, and DRI, oversee agricultural imports. They inspect shipments and entry methods, taking strict action against violators under the Plant Quarantine Order, 2003, and the Customs Act, 1962

Source: Business Standard