Quarantine Regulations for Import of Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis) Seeds/Seed Sprouts for Propagation

Several pests have been reported on oil palm through out the word, among this, red ring, sudden wither (wilt) or lethal bud rot or sudden wilt (phytoplasmas), hart rot or fatal wilt (Phytomonas) and leaf mottle virus (Central & South America); vascular wilt and freckle (Western Africa); cadang cadang (Philippines) & Tinangaja (Guam) viroids are of considerable quarantine significance, which are not reported from India. In the past, many pests of quarantine concern have been intercepted in imported oil palm consignments. Which included vascular wilt from Nigeria, Marasmius bunch rot from Malaysia Leaf mottle infection of sprouts from Costa Rica. Keeping in view of the above, the import of oil palm plant material (pollen/seeds/seed sprouts) is regulated by the plant quarantine regulations issued from time to time under the Destructive Insects & Pests Act, 1914. As per the existing provisions under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of import into India) Order, 2003, the import of oil palm and related species (pollen/seeds/seed sprouts) is prohibited from Philippines & Guam due to the incidence of destructive Cadang cadang or Tinangaja (viroid). The import of pollen/seeds/seed sprouts of oil palm from other countries is allowed under a permit issued by an authorized officer notified under the above said Order and the phytosanitary certificate issued by an appropriate authority at the country of origin with additional declarations for freedom from: (a) Vascular wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. elaeidis); (b) Freckle (Cercospora elaedis); (c) Red ring (Rhadinaphelenchus cocophilus) and its vector Rhyncophorus palmarum; (d) Lethal bud rot or sudden wilt [Marchites sorpresiva (phytoplasmas)]; (e) Fatal wilt or hart rot (Phytomonas staheli); (f) Leaf mottle virus; (g) Cadang cadang and related viroids; and (h) Palm kernel borers (Caryobruchus spp., and Pachymerus spp.). The import is permitted only through specified ports of entry viz., Amritsar, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Further the imported consignment is required to be grown under post-entry quarantine in open field quarantine facility for a period of 10–12 months under the supervision of Inspection authority specified under the said order. The constraints related to import of oil palm planting material and the post entry quarantine inspections have been reviewed and appropriate measures suggested.