Gujarat HC orders arrest of SW South Wind I over rice cargo claim. | (जैसे ही एक अन्य फर्म ने रुके हुए चावल कार्गो के लिए हर्जाना मांगा, गुजरात HC ने SW साउथ विंड I की ‘गिरफ्तारी’ का आदेश दिया )

Main Points In Hindi (मुख्य बातें – हिंदी में)

1. निर्यात में अनियमितताएँ: गैर-बासमती सफेद चावल के निर्यात में अनियमितताओं का मामला गंभीर स्थिति में पहुंच गया है, जिसके कारण कुछ निर्यातकों के शिपमेंट रोके गए हैं और वे मुआवजे की मांग करने के लिए अदालत का सहारा ले रहे हैं।

2. गुजरात उच्च न्यायालय का हस्तक्षेप: गुजरात उच्च न्यायालय ने दीनदयाल (कांडला) बंदरगाह पर जहाज एसडब्ल्यू साउथ विंड I की गिरफ्तारी का आदेश दिया, जब इस जहाज पर 2,000 टन गैर-बासमती चावल की खेप रोकी गई थी।

3. डीआरआई की कार्रवाई: राजस्व खुफिया विभाग (डीआरआई) ने यह संदेह जताया कि सफेद चावल को जैविक चावल के रूप में निर्यात किया जा रहा था, जिसके चलते यह कार्रवाई की गई।

4. जैविक चावल की खेपें: कुछ खेपें अपने निर्धारित गंतव्यों तक नहीं पहुंचीं, और इस मामले में जैविक चावल की खरीदारी में भी बाधाएँ आई हैं, विशेष रूप से अफ्रीकी देशों में।

5. अगली सुनवाई: न्यायमूर्ति मौना एम भट ने मामले की अगली सुनवाई 24 अक्टूबर को निर्धारित की है, जबकि फार्मर्ट ने जहाज की गिरफ्तारी आदेश को चुनौती देने के लिए अदालत का रुख किया है।

Main Points In English(मुख्य बातें – अंग्रेज़ी में)

Here are the main points regarding the irregularities in the export of non-basmati white rice purportedly labeled as organic:

1. Serious Export Irregularities: The issue of irregularities in the export of non-basmati white rice, which was misrepresented as organic, is becoming increasingly serious, leading affected exporters to seek compensation through the courts after their shipments were halted.

2. Court Involvement: The Gujarat High Court ordered the "arrest" of the merchant vessel SW South Wind I, which was detained at the Kandla port by Revenue Intelligence officers due to suspicions that non-basmati rice was being exported as organic rice.

3. Second Vessel Detained: Along with SW South Wind I, another ship, MV Della, has also been detained following reports of irregularities in the export of organic rice, raising doubts over compliance with export standards.

4. Legal and Financial Implications: The court ordered that the ship SW South Wind I be held until further notice, and if the ship’s owners were to pay $1.44 million, the arrest order could be annulled. There are allegations that some exporters have circumvented export duties on parboiled rice.

5. Data and Certification Issues: Data revealed that a significant amount of the organic rice did not reach its destination, and certification for organic exports has been suspended for certain companies, indicating broader implications for compliance and oversight in the organic rice export market.

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Complete News In Hindi(पूरी खबर – हिंदी में)

Complete News In English(पूरी खबर – अंग्रेज़ी में)

The issue of irregularities in the export of non-basmati white rice, which was labeled as organic rice, is becoming more serious than expected. Some exporters affected by this situation, as their shipments have been halted, are now seeking compensation through the courts.

In one instance, the Gujarat High Court has ordered the customs officials to "arrest" the merchant ship SW South Wind I, which remains at the port and within Indian territorial waters until further notice.

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This order was issued by Justice Mauna M. Bhatt after a petition filed by Farmart Services Private Limited, which approached the court after a shipment of 2,000 tons of non-basmati parboiled rice was stopped. The Revenue Intelligence Department (DRI) had detained the ship due to suspicions that the white rice was being exported as organic rice.

Following DRI’s actions, a report from Business Line highlighted irregularities in the export of organic rice, with allegations that some exporters are shipping white rice under the guise of organic rice. In addition to SW South Wind I, another ship, MV Della, has also been detained. Irregularities were suspected after the export of organic rice in the first four months of the financial year exceeded the total shipments for the entire 2023-24 financial year.

On October 4, Justice Nikhil S. Karyal of the Gujarat High Court ordered the "arrest" of the SW South Wind I when MEIR Commodities India challenged the detention of its 450-ton shipment.

Farmart informed the court that they had offered to sell 2,000 tons of IR64 parboiled rice to ATC Trading SARL at a price of $606 per ton through broker SM Agro Impex. The cargo was part of a larger shipment of 50,670 tons that was loaded onto the vessel on July 27 and was ready to depart on August 9.

However, a shipping firm had notified Farmart that the ship was detained due to "lack of approval for the cargo." The company’s lawyer argued that their client’s cargo met export standards, stating, "The ship was detained only because there were some other restricted cargoes on board."

The next hearing is scheduled for October 24. Justice Bhatt ordered the detention of SW South Wind I along with its equipment as it remains at the port. He mentioned that if the ship’s owner pays Farmart $1.44 million, the arrest order will not be enforced.

The DRI detained the shipment on suspicion that white rice was being exported under the label of organic rice. Reports indicate certain exporters violated a ban on white rice, which was lifted on September 28, 2024. In the case of parboiled rice, they managed to evade the 20% export duty.

Data reveals that some shipments did not reach their destinations, and buyers in some countries, especially in Africa, are unable to purchase organic rice due to the premium cost. It was reported that 22,126 tons and 16,547 tons of organic rice were shipped to Vietnam and Kenya, respectively, but barely 2,000 tons arrived.

According to another report from Business Line, the nodal agency for organic exports, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), has suspended the Sikkim State Organic Certification Agency from issuing organic certifications and also suspended Reliator Foods Private Limited from exporting organic products. Both have been fined 10 lakh rupees each, and Reliator Foods has about 6,700 tons of rice on the SW South Wind I.

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