India’s agri-exporters urged to adopt risk mitigation measures to safeguard market access

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, has issued a critical advisory to exporters of fresh fruits and vegetables to France following a notified order adopted by French authorities pursuant to Article 54 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002.

France has suspended the importation, introduction, and placing on the market of foodstuffs or animal feed containing residues — even below Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) — of certain active substances, specifically Glufosinate, Mancozeb, Thiophanate-Methyl, Carbendazim, and Benomyl. This suspension applies across a wide range of commodities including fruits, vegetables, cereals, mushrooms, and algae, where residues of these substances may be present at levels deemed a cause for concern.

The French notification, accessible via the WTO SPS ePing portal, details the scope of the prohibition. Among the affected commodities are grapefruit, oranges, lemons, limes, clementines/tangerines, apples, pears, quince, loquats, apricots, cherries, peaches, plums, table grapes, wine grapes, mangoes, papayas, tomatoes, eggplant, okra, Brussels sprouts, beans, peas, cultivated mushrooms, soybeans, barley, oats, rye, and wheat.

The advisory specifies the corresponding agrochemicals under prohibition:

Carbendazim and Benomyl residues are restricted in citrus fruits, pome fruits, stone fruits, grapes, mangoes, papayas, tomatoes, eggplant, okra, Brussels sprouts, beans, and peas.

Glufosinate residues are prohibited in potatoes.

Thiophanate-Methyl residues are restricted in citrus fruits and pome fruits.

Mancozeb residues are prohibited in avocados, table grapes, mangoes, papayas, blackcurrants, strawberries, potatoes, peppers, melons, and lettuce.

Exporters are strongly advised to implement risk mitigation measures or refrain from exporting consignments containing residues of these chemicals to France. Failure to comply could result in rejection of consignments, reputational damage, and disruption of trade flows.

This advisory underscores the growing stringency of EU member states in regulating agrochemical residues and highlights the need for Indian exporters to adopt robust compliance frameworks, residue monitoring, and sustainable agricultural practices to maintain access to high-value markets.