All you need to know about EU's plan to ban imports of betel leaves from India

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The EU plans to ban imports of betel (paan) leaves from India. Here is all you need to know about it:

Q. Why the threat of a ban?

A. According to reports, the EU may ban imports of betel leaves from India as the leaves contain Salmonella bacteria that cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Q. What does this mean?

A. India won't be able to export betel leaves to the EU, but a ban is unlikely to have any big impact as only two per cent of the leaf exports go to the EU directly. India, in 2013/14 exported leaves worth $6.60 million. Of this, just $0.14 million worth of the commodity went to the EU (mainly the UK). Bangladesh is the largest importer of betel leaves from India (accounts for 80 per cent of exports). It is not clear how much of this is processed and re-exported to the EU. If this proportion is high, exports to our eastern neighbour will drop.

Q. Any long-term impact and collateral damage?

A. Repeated bans by the EU impact India's credibility as a vegetable exporter.  The EU has already banned imports of snake gourd, eggplant, bitter gourd, patra leaves and mangoes. India's vegetable export in 2013/14 was $506 million, 41 per cent higher than the previous year. This sharp growth in exports will take a hit if such bans are imposed frequently. In 2013, India was subjected to the second-highest number (257) of notifications for food product rejections after China (433). This is bad for the long-term export prospects.

Q. Why do our vegetables have such bacteria?

A. Lack of knowledge among farmers about proper usage of fertilisers and pesticides, and poor agricultural practices is the cause. Exporters, too, cut corners by not subjecting the produce to proper tests in approved laboratories.

Data on betel leaf export from India:

Exports    2013/14    2012/13    2011/12    2010/11    2009/10    2008/09
Betel Leaf    6.6            4.74         3.4             1.72         1.55        0.84

* figures in $ million                        

Top five importers of betel leaves from India in 2013/14                        

Importer    2013/14*    % of Total                

BANGLADESH  5.26     80%                

PAKISTAN       0.78       12%                

YEMEN REPUBLIC 0.17   3%                

UK                    0.14    2%               

CANADA             0.06    1% 
             
* figures in $ million

Source: Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Text: N. Madhavan
Data: Jyotindra Dubey