The Indian government is pursuing all diplomatic avenues to get the European Union to lift its ban on four Indian vegetables, reports The Economic Times of India.
India's Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman told the paper she had taken up the issue with EU officials and had also discussed it with various European nations including the UK during her recent visit to London.
'India is taking all diplomatic steps to address the issue of getting the EU ban lifted on some Indian vegetables. It has also taken up the issue at appropriate forums.I had a fruitful and good meeting with UK's Secretary of State for Business Vince Cable, who deals with EU matters and has assured me of supporting India's case in lifting the ban on export of four Indian vegetables to EU,' Sitharaman said.
The statement comes after the EU lifted its ban on Indian mangoes on 20 January following farm inspections in India.
Besides mangoes, the EU had banned Indian bitter gourd, snake gourd, aubergines and colocasia/taro leaves for phytosanitary reasons.
