The Government of India has issued the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) (Sixteenth Amendment) Order, 2024. The notification was published on November 20, 2024 and has come into immediate effect. This amendment introduces special conditions for importing coffee beans into the country.
The amendment applies specifically to coffee beans (Coffea spp.) imported from any country for consumption or processing in India.
The aim is to prevent the entry of Coffee Berry Borers (Hypothenemus hampei and Sophranica ventralis), a destructive pest that can devastate coffee crops.
All imported coffee beans must now undergo fumigation with either Methyl Bromide or Phosphine to eliminate any potential Coffee Berry Borers.
The fumigation treatment details must be endorsed on the Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the exporting or re-exporting country.
This amendment helps to protect India’s coffee industry from invasive pests. Stricter import regulations ensure the quality and safety of imported coffee beans and minimize the risk of introducing harmful pests into the country’s agricultural ecosystem.
