07 March 2025, New Delhi: The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has simplified the rules for importing Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) seeds into India. Through the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) (Seventh Amendment) Order, 2025, issued on March 4, 2025, the government has removed certain restrictions that were previously required for importing these seeds from Japan and the United States. The new rules are effective immediately upon their publication in the Official Gazette.
What Were the Restrictions Earlier?
Previously, importers had to ensure that the seeds were free from multiple plant diseases and harmful bacteria. For seeds from Japan, they had to be certified free from six specific pathogens, including Monographella nivalis (which causes foot rot), Nectria radicicola, and bacteria like Burkholderia glumae and Pseudomonas syringae (which causes halo blight). Similarly, seeds from the United States had to be free from Gloetinia granigena (which causes blind seed disease in grasses), Xylella fastidiosa (which leads to Pierce’s disease in grapevines), and other harmful microorganisms. Additionally, both Japan and U.S. seed imports were required to be completely free from soil and quarantine weed seeds.
What Has Changed Now?
With the latest amendment, these specific phytosanitary requirements have been removed from the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003. This means that importers no longer need to obtain additional certification proving that the seeds are free from these diseases and contaminants.
How Has the Process Been Simplified?
By eliminating these strict conditions, the government has made it easier to import Italian ryegrass seeds from these countries. Importers will now face fewer regulatory hurdles, reducing both time and costs associated with compliance. This change is expected to benefit farmers and agricultural businesses that rely on these seeds for fodder and other agricultural uses.
The amendment was officially issued by Mukatanand Agrawal, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
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