AGRICULTURAL product buyer and exporter Viterra Australia has announced the first vessel to enter India under a 50% tariff reduction was a Viterra vessel loaded with Australian lentils.
Loaded at Viterra’s Port Lincoln terminal with lentils from South Australian growers, the company said the shipment is the first to benefit from the ECTA’s (Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement) tariff reduction on Australian lentil imports into India, granted for a set volume.
Viterra chief executive officer ANZ, Philip Hughes said India is an important lentil export market.
“Thanks to the Australian and Indian Governments’ agreement, growers can continue to access this premium market,” Mr Hughes said.
“South Australian lentils are in demand due to their high quality. We look forward to continuing to support our South Australian lentil grower customers by connecting them with our Indian end use customers.
“The agriculture industry is a key contributor to the Australian economy, the majority of which is in regional areas. We thank the government for their ongoing support of this important industry.”
Viterra Australia posted photos of vessel Watatsumi discharging 21,000 tonnes of the lentils at Mundra port in India last month.
The news comes after the Indian Government announced it would reintroduce a tariff on Australian lentils on 8 March, at an effective rate of 11 per cent.
Grains Australia said it will continue working closely with the important South Asian market and support the supply of high-quality Australian pulses.
Grains Australia Pulse council chair Peter Wilson thanked the Indian Government for its timely communication of the outcome of its policy deliberations.
“We will keep working positively with the the Indian Government and India’s pulse industry and focus on helping to meet the needs of this valued, longstanding market for Austrailan pulses,” Mr Wilson said.
“Grains Australia and its Australian industry partners have been engaging frequently with the Indian Government, the Australian High Commission to India and industry organisations, and will continue doing so, working on achieving benefits for both countries.”
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