Customs authorities in Chennai last Friday released some 75 containers of fruit imports that had been held at the port for up to two weeks, but all subsequent arrivals have been detained.
Port health officers at Chennai were until recently able to use “discretionary powers” to clear imported produce.
But India’s Directorate of Health Services has now halted this practice and ordered customs officers to take samples of the produce and send them to government-mandated laboratories to check they comply with quarantine standards and Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) laws before clearing containers.
The closest such laboratory is located 500km from Chennai, resulting in lengthy delays to clearance, but industry officials are lobbying for the local Export Inspection Agency to be authorised to test samples.
The 75 containers that were released were mainly made up of Washington apples, and a further 25 containers of fruits are now being held at the port.
