The government has made it mandatory for Indian exporters to obtain quality certification from the designated authority for exporting sesame seeds to the United States from Saturday (November 16) to avoid detention of Indian cargos by the US authorities, an official aware of the development has said.
“The move is on a voluntary basis after the industry reported detention of some Indian cargos at destination ports by US authorities after detecting pesticide residues beyond the prescribed limit. The Indian Oilseeds and Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC) will issue the certification,” he said asking not to be named.
About 30,000 tonnes of sesame seeds are exported to the US annually, he said. IOPEPC, a commerce ministry’s arm, is already issuing quality certificates for exports of sesame seeds to the European Union (EU), one of the most quality-conscious markets, he added.
India is one of EU’s major sesame suppliers, contributing 50% of the total 70,000-tonne imports.
India, which is one of the largest exporters if sesame seeds in the world, meets about one-fourth of the global demand. America is an important export market for Indian sesame seeds and detection of pesticide residue beyond maximum residue levels (MRLs) adversely affects India’s brand image globally. India also exports sesame seeds to the European Union, China, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Russia and Iran.
“In order to ensure that Indian sesame seeds comply with the quality requirements of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the IOPEPC has already framed a standard operating procedure after consulting all stakeholders for exports of sesame seeds,” a second person with direct knowledge of the matter said requesting anonymity.
The SOP aims to ensure that sesame seed exports to the US are free from residues of pesticides below the prescribed MRLs by the FDA, hence it covers all establishments within India where these seeds processed, packaged and warehoused for exports to America. Products under scanner are natural sesame seeds, dehulled sesame seed, roasted sesame seeds, and all other value-added sesame seeds, he said.
Sesame, also known as ‘til’ in India, is cultivated in Asian and African regions. Its annual global production is estimated at around 8 lakh tonnes. India is the largest producer of all verities of sesame seeds – off-white, black, yellow and brown-black – in the world and one of the largest exporters. It constitutes about one-third of all oilseed exports from India in terms of value.
According to the IOPEPC, the sesame seed contains about 50% oil, 25% protein and 15% carbohydrate. It is used in baking, candy making, and other food products, and also as a flavour enhancer in Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Korean, and Southeast Asian cuisines.
Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana are the major sesame growing states in India.