India unlikely to relax wheat import norms for US

New Delhi, July 19 (UNI) India is unlikely to relax the norms for importing wheat to match the standard parameters sought by the US, given the wide difference of opinion on the presence of weeds and foreign element in the stock.

According to Indian standards, the acceptable weed presence in 200 kg of wheat should not exceed 100 in number, while the Americans insist on ascertaining the presence by weight at 0.3 per cent, which stands at 12,000, Agriculture Secretary P K Mishra said here today.

This wide difference in standards is not likely to be bridged, however both the countries have agreed on two other counts--using international format and issuing certification of the importable American stock by the National Plant Protection Institute.

The US, which has surplus exportable stock, could not participate in the tenders floated by India for import of 5.5 million tonnes of wheat last year because of stringent standard parameters.

The US companies, this year as well, were left out from participating in the tenders for the import of 5.11 lakh tonnes two weeks ago.

With India is insisting on maintaining stringent wheat import standards, the US is pressuring India to lower its paramerters, thereby allowing its companies to participate in tenders.

It also claimed that had India lowered its norms, it would not have to purchase wheat from the global market at 317-330 dollars per tonne, the highest price paid till date.

The US also dismissed reports appearing in the Indian media that American wheat, coming to the country under PL480 in 1960s, had brought Perthimium-like deadly weed which suppressed several local plant species.

UNI