Additionally, the Indian embassies in Singapore and Hong Kong have been instructed by the trade ministry to submit a thorough report on the issue.
The largest producer, importer, and exporter of spices worldwide, India has requested information from Singaporean and Hong Kong food safety authorities, which have outlawed some Indian brands of spices, including MDH and Everest, over quality issues.
Additionally, the Indian embassies in Singapore and Hong Kong have been instructed by the trade ministry to submit a thorough report on the issue.
The government has also requested information from MDH and Everest, two Indian companies whose products have been prohibited for supposedly having pesticide “ethylene oxide” in excess of allowable limits.
“Details have been sought from the companies. Root cause of the rejection and corrective actions will be determined along with the exporters concerned,” a commerce ministry official said.
The official stated that they have contacted the embassies in Singapore and Hong Kong for technical information, analytical reports, and the identities of the exporters whose shipments have been refused. The official stated that information has also been requested from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in Hong Kong, the Singapore Food Agency, and the Centre for Food Safety. The ministry official noted that a meeting with the sector is planned to address the matter of ethylene oxide testing being required for exports of spices to Singapore and Hong Kong.
The sale of four spice-mix products bearing the Indian names MDH and Everest has been banned in Singapore and Hong Kong. This is being investigated by the Spices Board of India. The Singapore Food Agency has ordered a product recall, while the Hong Kong food safety agency has instructed retailers not to sell certain goods and customers not to purchase them. The nation exported spices valued around ₹32,000 crore in the fiscal year 2022–2023. Major spices exported include cardamom, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, spice oil, and oleoresins.
