Chickpeas

Country
India (IN)
Scientific Name
Cicer arietinum
Group
Grains / Seeds
End use
Consumption
NPPO Details
Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage; Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare
Criteria Criteria Required?
Import Permit No
Phytosanitary Certificate Yes
Additional Declaration/Endorsement Yes
Protocol Market No
Consignments are to be free from pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material.


Phosphine treatment

PLEASE NOTE IN-TRANSIT PHOSPHINE FUMIGATION TREATMENT FOR CHICKPEAS SENT VIA BULK VESSELS IS CURRENTLY BEING TRIALLED. THE GRAIN AND SEED EXPORT PROGRAM HAS GIVEN APPROVAL FOR ALL TEN VESSELS PERMITTED BY INDIA FOR THIS TRIAL. THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE ISSUING PHYTOSANITARY CERTIFICATES WITH IN-TRANSIT PHOSPHINE TREATMENT ENDORSED FOR SHIPMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN APPROVAL.

Fumigation treatment with phosphine is undertaken on a trial basis only and requires prior approval by the Grain and Seed Export Program. See the Treatment section below for further details.

Explanation of endorsement

Endorsement 3954:
  • All consignments must be free from India's quarantine weed seeds as per Schedule VIII of PQ Order 2003. Exporter must provide a laboratory analysis certificate attesting to the endorsement and to present to the Authorised Officer at time of inspection.
  • In Addition, visual inspection by the Authorised Officer must be undertaken as per instructional material for endorsing freedom from the following quarantine weed seeds.
  • Visual inspection by an Authorised Officer is sufficient to endorse freedom from soil (as per normal tolerances).
Updated Quarantine Weed Seed List.

Where applicable, the exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the endorsement and present it to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.

Each consignment is to be fumigated with methyl bromide or phosphine as outlined below.

Note: Fumigation treatment with phosphine is undertaken on a trial basis only and requires prior approval by the Grain and Seed Export Program.

Methyl bromide
  • 32 grm/m3 for 24 hours at 21 degrees Celsius or above at NAP as per the PQ Order 2003;
OR

The Indian NPPO accepts the following dosage compensation for methyl bromide fumigation applied at temperatures between 10 and 21 degrees Celsius: 
  • 40 grm/m3 at 16 - 20 degrees Celsius for 24 hours at NAP;

OR

  • 48 grm/m3 at 11 - 15 degrees Celsius for 24 hours at NAP.

OR

  • 56 grm/m3 at 10 - 10.9 degrees Celsius for 24 hours at NAP.

Note: Methyl bromide fumigation is not permitted at temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius. Dosage compensation is not permitted for temperatures above 21 degrees Celsius.

The exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the treatment and present it to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.

Details of treatment to be endorsed on the phytosanitary certificate in the treatment section.

Phosphine (trial)

Pre-shipment phosphine fumigation treatment for bulk containerised products, and pre-shipment or in-transit phosphine fumigation treatment for products sent via bulk vessels, is currently being trialled. Consignments are to be treated with phosphine at Australian approved label rates, subject to prior approval by the Grain and Seed Export Program. Phosphine fumigation is to be undertaken:
  • Prior to departure if products are containerised; or
  • In-transit or prior to departure if products are exported bulk in bulk vessels.
For phosphine treatment which is undertaken either onshore or in-transit, the licensed fumigator/exporter is to provide the Grain and Seed Export Program (Grain.Export@agriculture.gov.au) with the following information and obtain approval prior to the loading and departure of the vessel:
  • Permit issued by the APVMA allowing use of fumigant in-transit, and evidence of compliance with any other regulatory requirements including approvals by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), state/territory regulators, port authorities and ship's masters (for in-transit fumigation only)
  • Fumigation plan including re-circulation method and monitoring lines and their locations
  • Method of sealing holds during fumigation (for bulk vessels only)
  • Method of clearing the fumigant from the consignment
  • Method used to provide gas free certification
A treatment certificate from the licensed fumigator must be presented prior to the issuance of any government certificates and must contain:
  • Dosage (grm/m3), temperature (℃), and duration of treatment (days) in accordance with Australian label rates
  • Vessel name, destination and holds loaded
  • Commodity and quantity
  • Signed by a licensed fumigator with contact details provided
Pre-shipment fumigation:

The exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the treatment and present it to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.

Details of treatment to be endorsed on the phytosanitary certificate in the treatment section.

In-transit fumigation:

The exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the treatment and present it to the department at time of authorisation.

In-transit phosphine fumigation details may be endorsed on the phytosanitary certificate in the treatment section as follows:

The phosphine fumigation of [commodity] onboard [enter vessel name] was conducted in-transit by a licensed fumigator at (g/m3) for (days) at ().

Note: If phosphine treatment is to be undertaken in-transit, consignment must be found free of live insects during phytosanitary inspection.

Option 1 (EXDOC Endorsement 3954)
1) The consignment is free from quarantine weed seeds,
2) The consignment is free from soil.
Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003; NSPM 11 sighted 05 July 2021, correspondence from NPPO dated 26 May 2022.
03/02/2025 - Updated treatment requirements.
16/12/2024 - Updated general requirements.
25/03/2024 - Explanation of endorsement 3954 text updated.
11/10/2023 - Update to treatment requirements to clarify pre-shipment phosphine fumigation also does not meet NPPO requirements.
25/07/2023 - Update to treatment requirements to note that in-transit phosphine trial has finished.
16/09/2022 - Updated treatment requirements to clarify treatment with phosphine is being undertaken on a trial basis only and Australian label rates are to be applied.
07/07/2022 - New phosphine treatment option added.
05/07/2021 - Updated case to include treatment option for 10 degrees Celsius as per NPPO requirements.
Initial Uploaded: 29/07/2014
Reviewed Uploaded: 18/07/2026