Good morning and thank you, Mr. Chairman.
As you mentioned, my name is Dr. William Anderson. I am the executive director for the plant health and biosecurity directorate at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. It is my directorate that is responsible for working with India and establishing appropriate standards and procedures to protect plant health. I appreciate the opportunity to be here this morning and participate in this discussion on lentils exports to India.
I'd like to start by providing a brief overview of pulses, and then of the work being carried out by the CFIA with respect to supporting exports of pulses to India.
Lentils are part of the pulse family of crops, which also includes peas, chickpeas, and dry beans. Pulses play an integral role in global food security, nutrition, human health, and environmental sustainability around the world. Pulse production has increased significantly in Canada since the 1980s. In 2015, Canada produced roughly 6.5 million tonnes of pulses and exported more than five million tonnes. Their export is important, Mr. Chairman, because Canadians consume only a small amount of pulses regularly. As a result, Canada exports a large proportion of the pulses we produce.
India is an important market for the Canadian pulse exports. In 2016, Canadian pulse exports to India were worth over $1.1 billion. This accounts for 96% of the total value of our agricultural exports to India, making it Canada's largest market for pulses. Canada is India's largest supplier of peas and lentils; more than 40% of India's imported peas and lentils come from Canada.
I would now like to provide some context related to the current interim solution, as well as the long-term solution being sought, related to the issue of methyl bromide fumigation of pulse exports to India. Canada's legislation, under the Plant Protection Act and the plant protection regulations, requires that exporters obtain phytosanitary documentation as necessary to verify that exported shipments meet the requirements of the importing country. The CFIA, as the administrator of these regulations, strives to ensure that the exports meet the importing country's requirements, and issues a phytosanitary certificate to the shipments after necessary inspection and analysis.
Exported pulses can potentially carry nematodes, insects, and weeds. Since 2004, India's regulations have required that pulse imports be fumigated with methyl bromide in the exporting country to make certain that they are free from plant pests that are of concern to India. It's important to note, Mr. Chairman, that methyl bromide fumigation is not effective at low temperatures, like those we have in Canada during the late fall, winter, and early spring. There is another consideration. In addition to the fumigant's not being effective in cool climate conditions, methyl bromide is an ozone-depleting substance. Additionally, Mr. Chairman, Canada already has a rigorous inspection process in place, so only pulse shipments that are free from the pests of concern to India are certified by the CFIA and exported to India.
In 2004, Canada negotiated that India waive the mandatory fumigation-at-origin requirement for Canadian pulses, considering that fumigation is not effective for most of the year in Canada. India agreed, and it has granted Canada a series of six-month exemptions, known as derogations, from its regulations. The derogations allow pulses to be fumigated with methyl bromide after arrival in India. The United States and France have similar exemptions. Mr. Chairman, Canada and India worked collaboratively for more than a decade to ensure that Canadian pulse exports are uninterrupted, and that India's plant protection needs are met.
In late 2016, Canada was advised by India that India was considering stopping the issuing of exemptions from its regulatory requirement of fumigation at origin. We indicated to them that we still cannot fumigate in Canada for much of the year due to our weather. As an alternative to fumigation, Canada proposed to Indian officials that a systems approach, used currently in Canada—which includes production and storage practices, grain elevator inspection, and sample inspection certification—along with the Canadian winter, provides for effective risk mitigation for stored products and insect pests of concern to India. India signalled that they were willing to review our proposal. On December 28, 2016, the CFIA submitted the technical package and proposal to officials in India, prepared in collaboration with the pulse industry and the Canadian Grain Commission.
The proposal outlines an approach that demonstrates how Canada's pulse production, handling, and inspection systems ensure that grain exports are certified to meet India's plant health import requirements. The proposal also explains why mandatory fumigation of Canadian pulses with methyl bromide, or any other potential fumigant, is not required in order to prevent the introduction of regulated pests to India. If the proposal is accepted, it will exempt Canadian pulse shipments from mandatory fumigation.
On January 25, 2017, officials in India signalled an initial positive response to Canada's proposal and requested additional information. On February 9, 2017, the CFIA submitted that additional information on Canada's systems approach. Last month, in March, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, completed a mission to India where pulse exports were discussed. CFIA president Paul Glover accompanied the minister and met with officials in India to work on a solution to the pulse issue.
Following that and other meetings, India has granted Canada a new three-month exemption from its fumigation requirement. The new exemption applies to pulses exported from Canada between April 1 and June 30, 2017.
That is good progress, but work continues. The CFIA is committed to establishing a long-term solution to India's fumigation requirement. We will continue to follow up with Indian officials on a regular basis to seek acceptance of Canada's certification system.
In order to accept Canada's systems approach, India will need to change its quarantine order. This will take some time and require notification to the World Trade Organization.
We have offered to host Indian officials to showcase Canada's grain handling and certification practices to build their confidence and expedite approvals. The work to reach a long-term solution to keep Canadian pulses flowing to India continues.
That completes my opening remarks. Thank you.