Canadian pulse exports to
India are in limbo again because 13 days have gone by with no word on whether a
fumigation exemption will be renewed.
Canada has argued that
fumigating pulse exports is risky and not necessary because of Canada’s cold
weather.
The pesticides the Indians
want Canadians to use for fumigation are not allowed to be used in Canada.
The Indians have previously
banned Canadian pulses over the fumigation issue, but relented to grant special
short-term exemptions.
Gord Bacon of Pulse Canada said shipments now en route
to India are fine if they were loaded Sept. 30 or earlier.
Those have clearly-spelled-out regulations and the
exemption that permits Canadian shippers to forego fumigating their cargoes
with methyl bromide still applies — but the rules for product loaded after that
are unclear.
“So, any bills of lading from Oct. 1 on, we don’t
know, as of today, we don’t know,” he said.
Bacon said he couldn’t say what effect it would have
on shippers — whether it might cause them to delay shipments or if it has made
it more difficult to execute new sales under the uncertainties that persist.
