Rajasthan's Peanut Exporters Hit As Southeast Asian Nations Halt Imports Over Alleged Fungal Contamination

Bikaner: Piles of groundnuts lie under the open sky at the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) mandi in Bikaner, awaiting buyers as exporters in Rajasthan face an unexpected crisis.Indonesia and several other countries have temporarily suspended imports of Indian groundnuts following concerns over contamination by aflatoxin, a naturally occurring fungus that can affect crop quality. Suendra Kumar Maroo, Additional Director, Agriculture Extension, said, "Aflatoxin is a kind of fungus. It is also called 'holoheart', and locally it is known as 'tikki'. It degrades the quality of the groundnut crop, which is why peanut exports have been impacted. Several containers were refused because aflatoxin was found in the peanut consignments."Exporters in Bikaner are not taking the setback lightly, pointing out that nearly 60 per cent of the peanuts exported from India are shipped to three South East Asian countries. The Bikaner division alone accounts for two-thirds of the groundnuts grown in Rajasthan, and exporters said that the absence of exports will lead to oversupply and a fall in prices.Read MoreExploring Hidden Origins of Lac Pigment: A Breakthrough In Microbial SymbiosisEvidence of superbug found in Delhi's stray dogs