DGFT Notification to Help Areca Nut Growers

Areca nut (i.e. Betel nut) under SIONs (including Leather SIONs), disallowing import thereof

DGFT Notification to Help Areca Nut Growers Replying to the concerns raised by the nut growers and other stakeholders, Director General of Foreign Trade, Dr Anup K Pujari has said that Public Notice No.112 issued on 15th May, 2012 is actually to help the Areca nut growers. This Public Notice concerns itself with only duty free imports of areca nut either on the basis of advance authorisation or DFIA. It may be noted that duty paid imports are not affected by this Public Notice.

Prior to issue of this Public Notice anyone could have imported areca nut under the duty free schemes. After the issue of this Public Notice the class of persons permitted to effect such imports would get limited to (a) actual users and (b) such importers only and only when the respective Standard Input Output Norms (SION) specifically includes areca nut as a permissible input. “Therefore, if areca nut is not specifically listed as a permissible input, traders and non-manufacturing units would not be permitted to import areca nut under Advance Authorisation and / or DFIA. It is not Government’s intention to cause any impediment to manufacturing units (actual users). But non manufacturing units would face a restriction as explained above” added Dr Pujari.

PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 112 (RE2010)/2009-2014,

DATED:   15^th May 2012

Subject: Areca nut (i.e. Betel nut) under SIONs (including Leather SIONs), disallowing import thereof

            In exercise of the powers conferred under Paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2009-2014 and Paragraph 1.1 of Handbook of Procedures (Vol.1), the Director General of Foreign Trade hereby notifies the following amendment in the Handbook of Procedures, Vol.2, 2009-2014:

2.        The following General Note (No. 9) is added to the General Notes for Leather and Leather Products (Product: G) of the Standard Input Output Norms (SION) book after General Note No. 8.

“9.          Areca nut (i.e. Betel nut) shall be permitted for imports

(a)   only if Areca nut (i.e. Betel nut) is specifically mentioned in the SIONs;

Or

(b)   by actual users either when this input item is specifically mentioned in the SION of the respective export product or when Areca nut (i.e. Betel nut) technically falls under the ‘generic description’ given in a specific SION (like under G7, G46), though not mentioned specifically.

3.            For greater clarity, this General Note (No. 9 of Leather and Leather Products (Product: G)) given in para 2 above will also be included as General Note No. 12 to the General Notes for all Product Groups, below the existing General Note No. 11.

4.         Effect of this Public Notice:

Henceforth, import of Areca nut (i.e. Betel nut) as an input would be permitted only when it is by an actual user; or by anybody (including the actual user) if it is specifically mentioned in the SION of the export product.

(Anup K. Pujari)

 Director General of Foreign Trade

E-mail: dgft@nic.in

(F.No.01/84/162/085/AM-12/DES-V