In what could come as a major relief to banana traders in the state, the Centre has finally cleared the air on which chemicals qualify as `safe' for artificially ripening bananas.
With this, nearly 1,800 tonnes of bananas could find safe passage into the state every day. In Lucknow alone, an average of 20 trucks over 240 tonne containing bananas are off loaded daily. Following a series of raids conducted by the department of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) large quantities of the fruit were destroyed on the ground that they were artificially ripened by a plant growth regulator called Ethaphon, the use of which was banned by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
Now, months after the trader community being at loggerheads with FDA over using ethylene gas or ethaphon for ripening bananas, Union minister for health and welfare, in response to a Lok Sabha question raised on August 20, clarified that "Ethylene/Ethaphon have also been recommended for use in the ripening process of banana and other climatic fruits.'' Though the reply adds that the chemicals must be used as per prescribed procedures, it also, effectively, puts an end to any ambiguity over the safe way to ripen fruits.
A directive issued by assistant director general, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Dhir Singh, on August 13, had cleared the use of ethylene gas for the artificial ripening of bananas. Crucially, however, Singh's letter had remained silent on the subject of ethaphon, prompting most to believe that while the use of ethylene gas had been cleared, ethaphon was still regarded as dangerous for human consumption. Singh, in his letter to all states and Union Territories, said "It is considered safe when used in concentration of 10-100 ppm (0.001-0.01%) depending upon the crop, variety and maturity in the chambers at 18-24 degree Celsius with 90 to 95% relative humidity.''
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