U.S. FDA Issues Import Alert On Areca Leaf Dinnerware, Impacting Indian Eco-Exports

(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, May 28 (KNN) The United States Food and Drug Administration has issued an import alert effectively banning the sale of dinnerware made from areca palm leaf sheaths, dealing a significant blow to India's eco-friendly foodware export sector.

The FDA's Import Alert 23-15 classifies areca-based bowls, plates, cups and cutlery as unsafe food additives under Section 409 of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, declaring that such products may not lawfully be offered for sale in the USA.

The Federation of Indian Export Organisations has confirmed that similar restrictions are also in place in Canada and Australia.

According to FDA research, toxic alkaloids with cytotoxic and carcinogenic properties can migrate from the dinnerware into food, prompting the regulatory action.

Industry sources clarify that while areca dinnerware has not been explicitly banned in the United States, it has been removed from the Generally Recognised as Safe categorisation.

The import alert has immediately impacted exports from Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district, which contributes approximately one-third of India's areca leaf product exports.

Local exporters report suspended shipments due to lack of fresh orders from US distributors, while expressing uncertainty about the fate of cargo already in transit from New Mangalore port.

Export volumes from the port have declined from 1,863 tonnes in the previous financial year to 1,359 tonnes in fiscal 2024-25, with overall earnings dropping by 6.71 percent.

The single-use disposable areca plate industry represents approximately $20 million in market value and ranks second only to Chinese sugarcane plates in the US market.

Beyond the United States, Indian areca dinnerware is exported to the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany and Sweden, according to government trade statistics.

Dr T N Prakash Kammardi, Former Chairman, Karnataka Agricultural Prices Commission, has criticised the FDA's decision as lacking transparency and scientific neutrality.

He argues that the regulatory action overlooks research affirming the safety of areca-based products while focusing selectively on potential toxicity.

Dr Kammardi contends that the FDA's reliance on World Health Organisation data falls short of the evidentiary standards expected for decisions with such broad economic and regulatory consequences.

The restrictions threaten an industry valued at Rs 3,500 crore, employing 600 entrepreneurs and thousands of skilled workers in Karnataka alone.

Dr Kammardi, representing 106 scientists, medical professionals and academicians, has written to the Prime Minister seeking immediate intervention to withdraw the restrictions on biodegradable areca leaf dinnerware.

Industry representatives are mobilising to address the crisis, with the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative planning a meeting in Shivamogga to discuss the alert's implications.

A delegation led by former minister Araga Jnanendra and MP Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri is expected to visit New Delhi to urge the Central government to formally appeal against the FDA's import alert.

(KNN Bureau)

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