Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Commerce & Industry

19-March-2012 16:59 IST

Export of Red Chillies

The major varieties of chilli being exported are sannam, teja, byadagi, mundu, Kashmiri chilli etc. The details of exports of chillies during the last three years, year-wise and country-wise is enclosed as annexure.

 To avoid the export rejection, Spices Board has been implementing pre-shipment mandatory sampling and testing of chilli and chilli products for Sudan dye I, II, III, IV, Aflotoxin and other toxic elements from October, 2003 before exports to European Union (EU).  Apart from EU, the chilli and chilli products for export to other destinations including USA, South Africa and Japan are also now within the mandatory pre-shipment quality check.  As such only consignments of chilli/chilli products which are cleared by Spices Board are allowed to be exported to various international markets.   As a consequential effect of the preventive action, 2253 consignments have been detained by the Spices Board from export during last three years, after testing a total of 77409 consignment samples for chilli and chilli products.

        Spices Board is also imparting training programmes for chilli growers in different producing states for pursuing Good Agricultural Practice so as to reduce the level of Aflotoxin from various levels of harvesting/processing.  Similar training programmes are conducted for traders/exporters also for Good Manufacturing Practices such as proper storage and hygienic transportation to avoid moisture and to reduce the level of Aflotoxin.  This is an on ongoing process which help the farmers, traders and processors to export consignments without the issue of Aflotoxin 

Annexure

This information was given by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia in a written reply to a question raised in Lok  Sabha  today.                          

DS/GK

Mandatory pre-shipment testing requires Spices Board clearance, preventing export of uncertified chilli consignments. Mandatory pre-shipment sampling and testing by the Spices Board, instituted from October 2003 for Sudan dyes, Aflotoxin and other toxic elements, is required for consignments to the EU and has been extended to other destinations; only Spices Board-cleared chilli consignments may be exported, and 77,409 samples were tested with 2,253 consignments detained in the last three years.