Swift action by the Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD) and the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) has put UK importers in a better position than their counterparts elsewhere in Europe on the import of Indian grapes containing residues of growth retardant chlormequat.
Although FPC chief executive Nigel Jenney said he was “disappointed that the UK authorities have confirmed that there can be no further extension of the derogation to cover goods that have not yet cleared customs or which are in transit to the UK”, one trade insider said Indian producers and UK handlers are optimistic.
He told freshinfo: “We are better off than a week ago and about two-thirds of the Indian grape arrivals are in.”
CRD has said the UK now permits the marketing of grapes that have already been imported and contain residues of chlormequat below the threshold level specified by the European Food Safety Authority (1.06mg/kg). However, it will not permit the import of further consignments that do not comply with the EU maximum residue limit (MRL) of 0.05mg/kg.
A CRD statement read: “We will clarify the wording in our update to specify that this derogation applies only to stocks that have cleared UK customs. This position reflects the European Commission view that, while we have discretion over the placing on the market of previously imported material, we do not have discretion to vary the EU MRL for future imports. It also reflects that we have made a substantial concession in permitting the marketing of at least some of the non-compliant grapes... other member states [are] not offering an equivalent concession.”
