BP Singh

New Policy on Seed Development and Role of DIAs 123 .by the importers vide guidelines given at Annexure 'B' and thepost-entry quarantine inspections are undertaken by the DesignatedInspection Agencies (DIAs) (Head of Plant Pathology, StateAgricultural Universities and certain Institutes under reAR). Aprocedure has been prescribed for preliminary inspection of theimported material at the port of entry by the concerned PlantQuarantine and Fumigation Station and forwardal of the samefurther to the concerned DIA through importer for post-entryquarantine purpose. The guidelines for DIAs are furnished atAnnexure 'C.Accordingly, the role played by the notified DIAs has becomevery responsible and significant for undertaking PEQ inspectiOns/monitoring from plant quarantine angle of the above mentionedseeds/planting materials. Hence, it is imperative that all DIAs arewell acquainted with the details of the plant quarantine procedures/requirements. ,The imported consignments are released by the concernedPlant Quarantine and Fumigation Station at the port of entry onlyon production of approval of DIA by the importers. Such importedmaterials are released at the port of entry after initial tests/laboratory investigations under intimation to the DIA concernedfor further monitoring for presence/absence of the exotic pests/diseases of Plant Quarantine significance for the specified periodto be grown in PEQ facifities created by the importer. In order tofacilitate smooth working of PEQ inspections, 41 DIAs have beennotified in different State/UTs, as per list annexed at Annexure 'D'.Sampling of the materialsThe sampling procedures in respect of various importedagricultural items are as under :-a) FVS - The sampling techniques shall be as perInternational Seed Testing Association (ISTA) Rulesand guidelines.b) BT & CS - The minimum sample size is consideredto be 10 numbers. However, in case of bulk imports,the representative sample for V.l. and 1.1. would not beless than 0.1%.