Ban on food articles imports from Japan not required: Com Min

New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) Taking a different view from
the Health Ministry on import of food items from Japan, a
high- level meeting chaired by Commerce Minister Anand Sharma
here Thursday felt a blanket ban on these imports was
unwarranted.
The meeting decided that 100 per cent safety tests
against radiation risks should be done on food articles coming
from Japan, sources said.
"A view was taken that a blanket ban on imports of
food articles from Japan is not warranted as of now," they
said.
They further said that no traces of nuclear radiation
have been detected in any of the edible items reaching India
from Japan. Tests to detect radiations were carried on items
at the time of dispatch from Japan as well as on arrival on
Indian ports.
This is in contrast to an advisory of the Food Safety
and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI), in which the health
ministry on April 5 had announced immediate suspension of food
articles import from Japan, where radiation leaked from a
nuclear reactor due to tsunami and earthquake.
The health ministry had suspended food imports from
Japan for three months or till such time that credible
information was available regarding subsiding of the radiation
hazard to acceptable limits.
Sources said Sharma convened a meeting of senior
officials from ministries of external affairs and health,
besides key establishments like Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
(BARC), Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).
However, they agreed that as advised by FSSAI, a
weekly review should be taken to ensure that food imports from
Japan are radiation-free.
Interestingly, while the policies relating to imports
and exports are administered by the Commerce Ministry, its
representatives were not called for the FSSAI meeting on April
4, when they decided to recommend the imports ban.
India imports small quantity of food items from Japan
that include processed food, fruits and vegetables.