Turkish poppy seed import to India still denied
by Market Insider
Monday, 02 Nov. 2015
Turkish broker, Turkey Dalal, reports on the market difficulties in face of the continued ban on importing Turkish poppy seeds to India.
Turkey Dalal reports that FOB values have slipped from USD3,000 / tonne to USD2,500/ tonne as India, the major buyer of Turkish poppy seeds, is no longer in the market.Simultaneously, prices in India are rising as stocks of Turkish poppy seed decline and the Indian Spices Board report prices up 10% on the year at USD5.20 /kg.
The problems arise from April earlier this year when the Indian government banned the import of white poppy seed from Turkey. The ban was introduced in a move to protect the poppy farmers in states such as Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
They grow poppies for the legitimate opium business where sales of the seeds, known as Khas khas, have provided a useful supplementary income. Lately, with changes in the legitimate trade for opium products, and under increasing pressure from illegal imports of the resin from Afghanistan and Pakistan, farmers have become increasingly dependent on the sale of the seeds for their survival.
However, imports from Turkey are more competitive and in consequence the Indian poppy farmers find their incomes dwindling. Representations by the farmers to the Government have resulted in restrictions on imports from Turkey over the last two years imposed by the Central Bureau of Narcotics.
Meanwhile, in Turkey the Turkish Grain Board, who manage the state monopoly on opium, has announced that 2015 poppy seed production reached 30,750 tonnes of which about 80% is white poppy seeds and the balance blue. As the ban persist further difficulties are expected both at origin and in the Indian market.
Source :http://www.hksturkey.com/reports-on-turkish-white-poppy-seeds