New Delhi: Government has brought out a new law, which would restrict imports of vegetables and fruits into the country and make exotic fruits such as kivis, rambutans and melons forbidden for Indian consumers.

This has been done by way of new Plant Quarantine Order, which imposes stringent standards for imports of agricultural articles.

The new law has been designed to meet new requirements under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) regime, which is aimed at regulating import of agricultural articles into the country, official sources said.

With the lifting of Quantitative Restrictions fully in 2002, imports of exotic fruits and vegetables had witnessed a surge with even Mother Dairy selling fruits like kivi in its outlets.

No consignment of plants or plant products or other regulated articles can be imported into the country without a valid permit as per the order which came into effect from January 01, 2004.

The order mentions a list of products on which the Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) had been carried out based on global standards and can be imported by following certain conditions.

However, those products wherein PRA has not been carried out by authorities like kivis, rambutan, melon and mangoes cannot be imported.

It may be noted that very stringent Sanitary Phyto Sanitary norms are followed world over and even popular Indian fruit like mango has not been allowed to be sold in various countries like Australia, New Zealand among others.