U.S. lobbying for relaxation of phytosanitary norms

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH 24. The U.S. is pushing for India to relax phytosanitary norms for soyabean import which is required to be undertaken in split or cracked form.

Dr. Isi A. Siddiqui, Special Assistant to the U.S. Agriculture Secretary (Mr. Dan Glickman), who is part of the visiting President, Mr. Bill Clinton's delegation, met Mr. Bhaskar Barua, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture on Thursday and pressed the issue.

It was decided to refer the matter to a panel of farm scientists drawn from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR). Later, speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Barua said this was a scientific issue and it was agreed that scientists from both sides should get together to discuss it further.

India has maintained that it will only allow import of split or cracked soya seeds on the grounds that full soyabean seeds might breed ``exotic'' pests and disease in the Indian soil. Even if soyabeans in seed form were meant for crushing they could be diverted to farmers' fields.

Earlier Mr. Siddiqui told mediapersons that any disease soya seeds carried was from among the ``common 14 existing diseases'' which could be fungal, bacterial or viral. According to him, U.S. exports soya to several countries including China and none had imposed such conditions as India had. ``There is no scientific basis for such a regulation,'' the Uttar Pradesh-born U.S. official said.

The ICAR has identified 14 plant pathogens in the U.S. originating soyabeans for which they maintain grounds for mandating either phytosanitary certification or post-entry quarantine formalities. A subsequent decision said that import of all oilseeds would only be in `non-germinative' form.

When asked to comment on the issue, Mr. Sharad Joshi, who addressed the media jointly with Mr. Siddiqui, said he was all for availability of all variety of seeds at a supermarket. ``The Amricans are not seeking concessions. The issue should be resolved by mutual dialogue and not be referred to the WTO,'' he said. Mr. Siddiqui sought to dismiss apprehensions on negotiations under Article 28 of the WTO about India lifting Quantitative Restrictions on farm imports as being tilted in favour of the U.S.

According to the agreement it was agreed that India will reduce tariffs on almonds imported from the U.S. from Rs. 55 to Rs. 35 a kg and on fresh fruits and juices such as apples, oranges, plums and pears from 60-70 per cent to 40 per cent. This discount accounts for $40 million annually, he said.

In turn India has negotiated to raise its bound rates on corn and skimmed milk under a tariff rate quota. In the case of corn, import of up to 3.5 lakh tonnes (to be raised by 50,000 tonnes annually till it reaches five lakh tonnes) would attract 15 per cent tariff, while quantities above would attract 60 per cent.

In the case of skimmed milk powder, the U.S. has agreed to India imposing a 15 per cent duty on up to 10,000 and 60 per cent on higher quantity. Wheat was not part of the negotiations.

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