Central Silk Board Silk-Worm Seed (Amendment) Regulations, 2021

[13 December 2021]

G.S.R. 861(E ).-In exercise of the powers conferred by section 13A of the Central Silk Board Act, 1948 (LXI of 1948), the Central Silk Board with the previous approval of the Central Government, hereby makes the following regulations further to amend the Central Silk Board Silk-worm Seed Regulations, 2010, namely:-

Regulation - 1. Short title and commencement.

(1)     These regulations may be called the Central Silk Board Silk-worm Seed (Amendment) Regulations, 2021.

(2)     They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

Regulation - 2.

In the Central Silk Board Silk-worm Seed Regulations, 2010 (hereinafter referred to as the said regulations), after regulation 19, the following regulation shall be inserted, namely-

"19A. Export and import of silk-worm seed and quarantine procedures.-

The export and import of silk-worm seed and its quarantine procedures shall be as specified in the Schedule annexed to these regulations."

Regulation - 3.

In the said regulations, after Form 3, the following Schedule shall be inserted, namely:-

"Schedule"

( see regulation 19A)

EXPORT AND IMPORT OF SILKWORM SEED AND QUARANTINE PROCEDURES

Introduction:

Quarantine is a measure to ensure that the plants and animals and their products which move across international boundaries are free of pest and diseases, so as to prevent introduction and spread of pests and diseases in the region. It aims to protect agriculture / sericulture from avoidable damage by hazardous organisms, which may have been inadvertently introduced into a particular country. Quarantine measures are strictly followed while importing and exporting plants, fruits, seeds, animals, insects, microbe culture, etc., from one country or region to another. No progressive country allows the unrestricted import of biological materials or their unrestricted movement from one area to another within its own territory. Hence, the import of any biological material is regulated due to the risk of introduction of pests and diseases. Under sanitary or phytosanitary measures of WTO and GATT, 1994, it has been repeatedly emphasized to protect human or animal life or animal health within the territory and countries during import and export.

(I)      Quarantine procedures for Export of silkworm eggs:-

The liberalisation policy of the Government for privatizing the egg production industry has paved the way for establishing seed production centres by many private persons and agencies. Some well organized private sector industries are already exporting the silk-worm eggs and there is no binding under quarantine at present with regard to export of these silk-worm eggs for disease freeness. Such type of unrestricted export or import of silk-worm eggs may lead to occurrence and spread of disease in the country of import. It affects the export and reputation of the country.

Hence, all the export and import of silk-worm eggs have to be strictly regulated to ensure that there is no compromise on quarantine procedures.

(A)     General conditions and essential requirements for export

(I)      Exporter shall be a person registered with the Registration Committee. The exporter shall apply in the prescribed form in Annexure-(i), for the export permit, to the Member Secretary, Central Silk Board, Bangalore along with the stipulated fee and obtain the Export Permit in Annexure-(ii).

 

(II)     The exporter shall submit an undertaking in Annexure-(iii) along with the application.

(III)   The exporter shall obtain necessary quarantine certificate in Annexure-(iv) for each consignment on charge basis.

(IV)   Quarantine inspection for export shall be carried out and certificate issued only by the technically qualified and duly authorised officers working in institutions established or accredited by the committee subject to fulfillment of the conditions laid hereunder:

(V)     No consignment shall be exported without the quarantine certificate by the authorised person and the export permit issued by the competent authority.

(VI)   All the silk-worm seeds meant for export shall be prepared as loose grains of 50 layings, of uniform weight as per the standard prescribed in boxes.

(VII)  Only authorised hybrids are permitted for export.

(VIII)    The exporter shall deliver the entire consignment at the specified quarantine centre, at his own expenses as per the conditions laid down.

(IX)   The exporter shall arrange and present the products for the purpose of inspection and drawing samples to the authorised person in accordance with the specified sampling schedule.

(X)     The exporter shall extend labour and material support required for handling the boxes.

(XI)   The Quarantine Officer shall seal the consignment after inspection and such seal shall bear the markings as "inspected and certified".

(XII)  After inspection, the exporter shall clear the consignment on the same day from the premises of the inspection laboratory.

(XIII)    After certification, the exporter shall not in any manner alter the contents of the consignment and shall not distort or damage the quarantine seal.

(XIV)The Quarantine Centre shall bear no responsibility to any infestation and infection that may occur after the consignment has been inspected and duly certified.

(XV)  No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against any person, for anything done in good faith or intended to be done under quarantine law or procedure.

(B)     Quarantine testing laboratory The fully equipped testing laboratory shall be arranged at the Quarantine Station to facilitate effective implementation of quarantine regulations. The quarantine testing shall be done scientifically adopting centrifugal method of detecting the pebrine disease in the exportable sample eggs. The equipment for testing are:

(a)      Equipment

(b)      Chemicals

(C)     Quarantine testing procedure for silk-worm eggs

(a)      Individual egg testing

(I)      select eggs with depression or abnormal colour, shape and size.

(II)     crush selected eggs after suspending them in 0.25% K2CO3 solution for 10 seconds on a clean glass slide by pressing a 12 mm cover glass over them.

(III)   examine using a phase contrast microscope at 600 x magnification in bright light.

(IV)   examine a minimum of 5 microscopic fields.

(b)      En masse egg testing collect the silk-worm eggs for testing as per sampling plan as provided below:

Sampling Plan

(I)      crush the eggs collected as per the sampling plan using mortar and pestle with 0.5% K2CO3 solution, at the rate of 4 parts K2CO3 per one part of eggs.

(II)     allow the homogenate to settle for 3 minutes.

(III)   filter the homogenate through a thin layer of absorbent cotton/muslin cloth

(IV)   centrifuge for 3 min at 3000 rpm.

(V)     add a few drops of water/ 0.5% K2CO3 solution and stir on a cyclomixer to disperse the sediment.

(VI)   examine under a bright field or phase contrast microscope at 600 x.

(VII)  take 2 smears/sample and observe at least 5 microscopic fields/smear.

(c)      Hatching test of eggs

 

A few eggs (50 to 100 eggs) from the egg samples drawn are to be kept for incubation by following the standard incubation methods. After hatching, percentage of hatching, unfertilized eggs and unhatched eggs (dead eggs) are to be recorded.

(d)      Inspection of chawki larvae

 

Chawki larvae from the sample eggs brushed from the tested consignment are to be inspected during 3rd instar as per the standard inspection method.

(I)      homogenize sample larvae with 0.6% K2CO3 solution in a mortar and pestle.

(II)     pour the homogenate into a beaker and allow for settling for 3 min.

(III)   filter the homogenate through a thin layer of absorbent cotton/muslin cloth.

(IV)   dissolve the sediment in a few drops of 0.6%K2CO3 solution.

(V)     examine the smear under a microscope as indicated above.

(e)      Disinfection and cleaning

After quarantine testing of the sample eggs is over, the room floor is swabbed with general disinfectant. All the equipment used for testing have to be disinfected properly. The glassware used for testing should also be sterilized and general hygiene to be maintained.

(D)     Issue of Quarantine Certificate

Quarantine Certificate is the certificate to ensure that the eggs which are intended for export are free from pebrine disease or any other disease or pests. If the sample eggs tested are free from pebrine disease, the Quarantine Certificate shall be issued by the DIA [Silkworm Seed Technology Laboratory (SSTL) for southern zone & Maharastra & Odisha & Central Sericultutral Research & Training Institute (CSRTI), Berhampore for the remaining States in the case of Mulberry silkworm]. The DIA for Tasar silk-worm shall be Central Tasar Research & Training Institute (CTRTI), Ranchi and that for Eri and Muga silkworm shall be Central Eri and Muga Researsh & Training Institute (CMERTI), Lahdoigarh. The Scientists of Silk-worm Pathology Laboratories of the respective Institutes are authorized as quarantine inspecting officers, who conduct the quarantine inspection at their Laboratory.

(E)     Training of inspecting officials

The inspecting officials of the quarantine station shall be trained in the latest examination technology and correct identification of pebrine spores at different developmental stages of silk-worm viz., egg, larva, pupa and moth.

The training shall be imparted by Silk-worm Seed Technology Laboratory, Central Silk Board, Bangalore. The refresher training course shall also be conducted to update knowledge to the officers / officials, whenever it is felt necessary.

(F)      Duties and functions of quarantine officers

(a)      Designated Inspecting Authority (DIA)

It is the responsibility of the Designated Inspecting Authority to conduct quarantine screening. There will be four DIAs, the Head, SSTL, Bangalore, Karnataka and the Director, CSRTI, Berhampore, West Bengal, the Director, CTRTI, Ranchi, Jharkhand, and the Director, CMERTI, Lahdoigarh, Assam. The Scientists working in Silkworm Pathology Laboratory, in the respective Institutes shall function as Authorised Quarantine Inspecting Officers, who can conduct the test and take decisions as per the conditions laid down in the quarantine procedures. Authorised officers shall be well-versed with the procedure associated with silk-worm disease diagnosis. The authorized officer shall conduct the microscopic test in the laboratory or exporters at place where the facility has been provided by the exporter. If pebrine is noticed during scrutiny, DIA or the officer authorised by him is empowered to destroy the batch immediately and inform the concerned by marking copies of the test report and action taken.No exporter shall export the consignment without obtaining the quarantine certificate from DIA.

(b)      Authority to recommend for export or import of seed

The Member Secretary, Central Silk Board is the sole authority to recommend for export or import of seed.

The Member Secretary shall see and examine cases individually to safeguard the interest of the sericulture industry in granting or declining the request for import or export of silk-worm seed. This is based on policy decision, as well as safeguarding the quality of seed and reputation of the company or organisation.

(II)     Quarantine procedures for Import of silk-worm seed:-

(A)     Need for introducing quarantine regulations while import

The exchange of germplasm and other genetic materials and also bringing of live materials such as eggs, larvae and cocoons from abroad by the scientists or technologists during their visit for breeding purpose or other scientific pursuits have become a common practice. With rapid expansion of sericulture across the country, there is a great increase in the requirement of silkworm seed. The Government policy of encouraging privatisation in sericulture industry, has paved the way to the establishment of many farms and seed production centres by private entrepreneurs.

Reputed foreign silk-worm seed firms are already in collaboration with domestic private companies and high yielding silk-worm seeds are exported to India.

In the free trade regime, quality of silk, yield potential and farm income can be enhanced and bivoltine sericulture in India can be further promoted by importing high quality silk-worm hybrid eggs with high yield potential which are suitable for Indian agro-climatic condition. At present, strict quarantine procedures are not followed at the time of import of silk-worm eggs. Any such continued laxity in application of quarantine measures may contribute to the danger of introduction and spread of silk-worm diseases. Hence, the quarantine regulations shall be imposed for the import of any type of silk-worm eggs or live cocoons to avoid the risk of inviting diseases.

In order to protect the agricultural and forest species of the country, the plants and animal wealth (cultivated plants and domesticated animal wealth) in particular, the Government of India has regulated the imports of plants and plant products by enforcing an Act known as "Destructing Insects and Pests Act, 1914", and established the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage to implement the various regulations under the said Act. The quarantine measures are rigidly implemented at all entry points such as International airports, seaports and land frontiers to regulate the import of plant materials. Such a quarantine system is non-existent with regard to sericulture products. In the absence of strict quarantine system, some pests invade new areas and establish there in due course of time. One such example in the field of sericulture is spread of uzifly (Exorista bombycis), a well known parasite of silk-worm Bombyx mori L. from West Bengal to Karnataka through unscrupulous and unauthorised trade of seed cocoons in 1980. Since then, the parasite has established itself causing unprecedented damage to cocoon crop.

There were also several other instances of continuous occurrence of pebrine disease in the hybrid silk-worm eggs imported from foreign countries to the Union territory viz., Jammu and Kashmir for commercial exploitation, threatening the very existence of sericulture.

(B)     Quarantine regulations on importing silk-worm seed

Quarantine measures shall help to regulate the import of silk-worm eggs from other countries and also to intercept the entry of silk-worm diseases, so that while importing seeds, there is absolutely no compromise on quarantine procedures. The general conditions are:

(a)      Importer shall be a person registered with the Registration Committee.

(b)      He shall obtain the import permit from the Member Secretary, Central Silk Board by applying in the stipulated format [Annexure-(v)] along with the requisite fee for import of seed.

(c)      He shall submit an undertaking for post-entry quarantine (PEQ) inspection in the proforma as per Annexure- (vi)

(d)      No silk-worm seed shall be imported without a valid Import Permit [Annexure -(vii)] and quarantine certificate issued by the country of origin.

(e)      A sample of all the lots or batches of the seed imported to the country shall be sent to the nearest Central Seed Testing Laboratory (CSTL) for conducting tests for ascertaining disease freeness as per the procedures laid down for issue of quarantine test report [Annexure-(viii)].

(f)       All importers of seed shall submit a report of the performance of the imported seed in India [Annexure- (ix)] to the Registration Committee.

(g)      Such imported seed (eggs) shall not be put to commercial use till it is certified by the testing unit as safe and free from any pests and diseases.

(h)     The importing agency shall provide the original certificate issued by the designated authority of exporting country at the time of getting the post import quarantine.

(i)       The importer shall obtain necessary quarantine test report in Annexure- (viii) for each consignment.

(j)       In case the consignment on arrival shows the presence of pebrine disease, the entire consignment shall be rejected and destroyed.

(k)      The imported consignment of eggs shall be stored or incubated properly by the importer until the quarantine clearance is given.

(l)       The imported eggs shall not be distributed to the farmers, but shall be chawki reared by the importer to facilitate PEQ inspection, as per the conditions laid by the competent authority.

(m)    The importer shall inform in advance the Designated Inspecting Authority having jurisdiction, about the time and date of brushing of such material.

(n)     The DIA shall permit the distribution of worms to the farmers by the importer, if they are found free from pebrine disease.

(o)      If the worms in the PEQ inspection are found to be affected by pebrine disease, the DIA shall order the destruction and the importer shall destroy the worms of the affected lot.

(C)     Quarantine testing centre

The Director / Officer In-charge of Silk-worm Seed Technology Laboratory, CSB, Bangalore or any other Institution will be the Designated Inspecting Authority (DIA) for the eggs imported by the Companies located in Southern States of India, viz., Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, in addition to the States of Maharashtra and Odisha. The Director / Officer In-charge of CSRTI, Berhampore, will be the Designated Inspecting Authority (DIA) for the remaining States. The DIA for Tasar silk-worm shall be Central Tasar Research & Training Institute (CTRTI), Ranchi and that for Eri and Muga silkworm shall be Central Eri and Muga Researsh & Training Institute (CMERTI), Lahdoigarh. The Scientists of Silk-worm Pathology Laboratories of the respective Institutes are authorised as quarantine inspecting officers, who conduct the post entry quarantine inspection at the place of importer during chawki rearing.

(D)     Procedure of quarantine inspection at port of entry and importing agency

Sampling and testing procedure of silk-worm egg to be adopted by the quarantine authority at the port of entry are same as those described for export of silk-worm eggs.

(E)     Post entry quarantine facilities by importer

The importer shall make arrangement for pebrine testing facilities at his place to conduct post-entry quarantine during chawki rearing. The required equipment and chemicals shall be procured and facilities created at his own cost.

(F)      Testing procedure of young silkworm larvae at the place of importer (PEQ inspection)

Weak, undersized and unsettled larvae are collected once in each instar. About 0.5, 1.0 and 2 g of larvae during 1st, 2nd and 3rd instar, respectively shall be drawn for investigation. The larvae shall be thoroughly crushed by adding 0.6% K2CO3 solution followed by standard centrifugal method of examination for the diagnosis of pebrine.

(G)     Training for inspecting officials

The inspecting officials of the Quarantine Station and Designated Inspecting Authorities shall be scientifically trained in latest examination technology and correct identification of pebrine spores at egg and young larval stage. The training shall be imparted by Silkworm Seed Technology Laboratory, Central Silk Board, Bangalore. The refresher training courses shall also be conducted to provide the knowledge of latest technology to officials whenever felt necessary.

(H)     Duties and functions of quarantine station

The Head, SSTL, Bangalore and the Director, CSRTI, Berhampore, shall function as DIAs who shall be assisted by the scientists of Silk-worm Pathology Laboratory of the respective stations. The scientists shall apprise the DIA about the larval test results during the first three stages of rearing. The DIA shall take necessary action to destroy the lots if pebrine is reported. In case the lots or batches are found disease free, the DIA shall issue the clearance certificate to the importer for continuation of the rearing.