Russia bans import of rice from India

Mumbai: Russia has banned import of rice from India after it found a banned pesticide in shipments from the nation''s biggest supplier.

"The Russian side has stated the detection of dimethoate" pesticide as reason for the ban, minister of state for commerce and industry Jairam Ramesh said in a written reply in Parliament.

The Russian ban comes at a time when exports from India, the world''s second-biggest grower of the grain, are expected to fall this year as a stronger rupee makes shipments less competitive. India will contest the ban because Russia''s government had agreed to hold off the restriction until November.

The ban imposed on import of rice by Russia with effect from May 1 is violative of the protocol signed in February 2007 and the Government of India is taking up the matter with the Russian authorities, he said.

The Russian agency on veterinary and phytosanitary surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) issued a notification on April 27 imposing a ban on import of rice from India to Russia due to the purported detection of pesticides. The Russian side has started the cause as detection of demethoate, which is not admissible under Russian regulations.

Earlier, on December 4, lat year, the Russian agency had issued a press release announcing a suspension on import of rice from Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, US and India due to the purported detection of pesticides.

After efforts by the Government of India to revoke the suspension, a delegation from the Russian agency visited India during February. A protocol was negotiated which has now been signed by both the sides, the minister added.