Conference on SPS Towards Global Competitiveness in the Food Processing Sector
Monday, 5 September 2005, Hotel Sun n Sand, Pune

Conference report

The conference on SPS issues was in the local language of Maharashtra (Marathi), which held in Pune on September 5, 2005. The introduction and welcome address was given by Dr. Amir Ullah Khan who is the Project head for this study funded by the British High Commission and Fellow at IDF. He spoke on the need for capacity building, trade facilitation and the potential for agri-exports. He also emphasised the need for such conferences to be held in local languages to be able to reach out to large number of small and medium food processors. The chief guest at the conference was Dr. Sudhir Kumar Goel, Commissioner Agriculture, Maharashtra. He explained how the SPS measures have been evolved and Indian policy response to the agreement. He explained the WTO's role in the production process, which is the result of cost incurred in production; minus the domestic support given by the government and other organisations; less the export subsidies given at the home nation; plus the import tariff incurred while selling the product to other nations. He emphasised that there is only one factor which is common among various products (like: mango, grapes, mushroom) and that is the 'Quality' of the products sold to the end consumers. So, this common factor 'Quality' should be given preference. Presentation

The technical session started with filling up of questionnaires by all the participants, which was based on the 'Testing the Awareness on SPS issues'. The purpose was to assess existing awareness on SPS issue. After which was the main IDF presentation on SPS related issues by Prof. Pradeep Apte. He spoke on the basic issues involved with SPS agreement to the audience in Marathi. He started with brief description on the historical perspective of the agreement. He then went on to describe the main features of the agreement. He also outlined some of the steps industry can take in order to achieve higher standards. Presentation


After a short break, the third and final session started where the keynote speaker Mr. Sopan Kanchan, Executive Partner of Mahagrapes, Pune narrated the success story of Mahagrapes. He explained the framed procedures initiated by Mahagrapes which had facilitated its farmers in producing good quality grapes. He then by emphasizing the importance of quality maintenance, cited a dispute case when India had exported grapes to Netherlands where the consumers developed some allergy. After examination it was found that the Indian farmer had used fertilizer which was not meant for grapes cultivation. Therefore, stressed on the need to build awareness, to train farmers on SPS measures and quality parameters. Such initiatives will not be possible without the efforts of organisations like, India Development Foundation. At the same time he pointed out another issue, which is the tests needed for the goods to be exported has nearly doubled. This has indeed increased cost of production, which farmers have to bear. The infrastructure has still not improved and further on this issue he said that for the same sample different results have come for tests undertaken in different laboratories. He said that duties charged by the developed countries for import of goods from India are much higher compared to other nations. The question he raised was "Can India sustain such high duties or should it divert its trade?" Then Mr. Vasant Raghunath Desai, from Desai Bandhu Ambewale said how his concern was started in Rathnagiri, then moved to Mumbai and settled in Karachi. Since 1975, the firm started canning mangoes and exporting it. This was the time when there was scanty information available on SPS issues. They are now a large exporter of mango and processed mango products.

Ms. Sridevi Tandley from IDF spoke about Maharashtra's potential export commodity - Marine Products. A brief outline of the marine sector and its trade performance was given to the audience. The concern on SPS was explained starting from the need to follow SPS measures to what can be their impact on trade.Presentation

She then gave a brief explanation on using the CD which was then disseminated among the delegated along with the workbook on "Capacity Building for Policy Makers, Regulators, Inspecting Firms, Small Agricultural Exporters, and Importers in India to Face the SPS Measures". After this a short film was played on by the Vijaya Adyanthaya of Pest Control Services, Pune on how training can be given to undertake safe pesticide measures. Then the same sets of the questionnaires based on 'Testing the awareness on SPS issues' were filled by all participants. The purpose of giving the questionnaires again was to get to know how much of knowledge has been gained by the audience by this conference on SPS measure.