India Extends Suspension of Rule on GM Soybean Oil Imports

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) of the Government of India has suspended a rule that requires imports of genetically modified soybean oil to be cleared by the biotech regulatory authority (GEAC) until 31 Dec 2007. The notification in this regard was issued on 13 March 2007 to nullify the Condition No. 18 of Chapter 1A (General Notes Regarding Import Policy) under the Foreign Trade Policy (2004-09) issued on 7 April 2006.

The first moratorium on new regulation for import of GM products by amending Schedule – I (Imports) of the ITC(HS) Classifications of Export and Import Items, 2004-09 under the Foreign Trade Policy (2004-09) was imposed from 20th April 2006 which was due to expire of end of this month. The country imports about two million tons of soybean oil mostly from Brazil and Argentina, where genetically modified soybeans are widely grown and consumed. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry notifications:

1. Amendment in Schedule-I (Imports) of the ITC(HS) Classifications of Export and Import items, 2004-2009 dated 13 March 2007: http://dgftcom.nic.in/exim/2000/not/not06/not5406.htm
2. Amendment in Schedule-I (Imports) of the ITC(HS) Classifications of Export and Import items, 2004-2009 dated 20 April 2006: http://dgftcom.nic.in/exim/2000/not/not06/not2106.htm
3. Amendment in Schedule-I (Imports) of the ITC(HS) Classifications of Export and Import items, 2004-2009 dated 7 April 2006: http://164.100.9.245/exim/2000/not/not06/not0206.htm