A large number of containers of high-value imported fruits are being held at India's Chennai Port following a tightening of clearance procedures by customs authorities last week.
According to industry sources, some 100 containers of fruit imports worth around US$1.75m have built up on the wharf over the past week awaiting phytosanitary clearance, 70 per cent of which are Washington apples.
'The shipments are largely made up of apple imports from the US and China as well as a couple of containers of grapes from Australia,' said one local importer, who put the number of containers on the wharf at 85-90. 'There are also lots of containers of other foodstuffs being held too,' he added, 'as this change in procedures applies to all food imports.'
Local industry sources attribute the hold-up to an issue between customs and port authorities.
Under Indian import regulations, each shipment of imported produce must be checked to ensure it complies with phytosanitary requirements for the given supply origin as well as with India's Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) laws.
One Chennai-based importer told Fruitnet.com that samples are typically taken by a local officer in Chennai who is able to use his discretional powers to clear product. 'Usually, there is no need for him to submit the samples to laboratories for inspection,' the source said. 'He can simply use previous records that apply to the particular exporter, so the product is cleared within a day.'
Since last Wednesday (25 March), however, the Indian government has ordered that samples of all food imports entering Chennai must be sent to a government-mandated laboratory to ensure they comply with phytosanitary requirements and the PFA laws. The closest certified laboratory able to complete the inspection process and residue analysis is located some 500km away from Chennai in Mysore, so importers must now wait for the samples to be processed and the green light to be issued, according to the importer.
With close to 100 containers on the wharf awaiting release, local industry sources claim that Chennai Port is running out of space to handle new containers.
A leading importer told Fruitnet.com that he is confident the product will be cleared and released in the next 8-10 days, and that the fruit will survive in tact as it is being held in reefer containers that are on power.
But the release of the product cannot come too soon, according to other industry sources, who note that many local importers are expecting arrivals of between 6 and 10 containers each next week. 'The big issues are the cost to businesses from the hold-up and the fact that Chennai Port is running out of space to handle new arrivals,' said one importer.
Some Chennai-based buyers are diverting shipments that are on the water to Mumbai's Nhava Sheva Port to circumvent problems or delays on arrival.
Product entering Nhava Sheva, India's primary hub for imported fruits, has not been subject to the same tightening of rules, and is still being cleared without the need for samples to be sent to laboratories, according to importers. And no
problems have been reported at India's other ports of entry.
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