A European Union's audit team has expressed satisfaction over the improvement in quality control system for exports of plants and related products to the member nations from India.
The audit team had visited India in September this year, after 28-member European Union had temporarily banned the import of Alphonso mangoes and four vegetables from India from May 1.
Following which EU has sent an audit team of Food & Veterinary Office (FVO) to evaluate the system of official controls in India for export of plants and plant products.
The team has visited Regional Plant Quarantine Stations (RPQS) in Mumbai. Besides, the team visited air cargo complexes and packed houses in the various cities across the country during September this year, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today.
"The audit team has submitted its report to EU indicating satisfaction over the status of facilities visited and has acknowledged the improvements in the system of official controls of the export of plants and plant products to the EU," the reply added.
The Minister also added that a Standard Operating Procedure has been developed for pest free export of fresh fruits and vegetables to the EU and implemented from April this year.
