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Dated: 09.09.2026
India Amends Plant Quarantine Rules for Import of Pomegranates and Fresh Chillies from Uzbekistan
The Central Government has introduced two important amendments to Indiaβs plant quarantine framework, specifically facilitating the regulated import of pomegranates and fresh chillies from Uzbekistan.
Through S.O. 4929(E) and S.O. 4930(E), both dated 31 August 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has amended Schedule VI of the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003. The notifications prescribe the phytosanitary declarations and special import conditions that must be satisfied for consignments originating in Uzbekistan.
The amendments are significant for importers, exporters, Customs Brokers, agricultural traders, logistics operators and plant-quarantine compliance professionals, because they formally introduce Uzbekistan as an approved country of origin for the specified plant materials, subject to the prescribed phytosanitary safeguards.
Legal Background: Indiaβs Plant Quarantine Framework
India regulates the import of plants, fruits, vegetables, seeds and other plant material principally through the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003.
The original Plant Quarantine Order was notified through S.O. 1322(E) dated 18 November 2003. The Gazette itself records the principal notification and its extensive history of subsequent amendments.
The two 2026 amendments have been issued by the Central Government in exercise of powers conferred by Section 3(1) of the Destructive Insects and Pests Act, 1914.
The underlying regulatory objective is biosecurity: imported plant material may potentially carry pests, insects, pathogens, diseases or contaminated soil capable of affecting Indian agriculture and the domestic ecosystem. Consequently, an agricultural commodity being commercially importable does not, by itself, mean that it can enter India without satisfying plant-quarantine requirements.
Two Separate Amendments Notified
The Gazette contains two separate amendments:
| Particulars | Pomegranate | Fresh Chilli |
| Notification | S.O. 4929(E) | S.O. 4930(E) |
| Date | 31 August 2026 | 31 August 2026 |
| Amendment | Eighth Amendment Order, 2026 | Ninth Amendment Order, 2026 |
| Schedule amended | Schedule VI | Schedule VI |
| Serial No. | 563 | 67 |
| Plant | Punica granatum | Capsicum annuum |
| Commodity | Pomegranate | Chilli |
| Country of origin | Uzbekistan | Uzbekistan |
| Intended use | Fruits for consumption | Fresh vegetable for consumption |
Both amendments provide that they come into force from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.
1. Import of Pomegranates from Uzbekistan
S.O. 4929(E) β Eighth Amendment Order, 2026
Through S.O. 4929(E), the Central Government notified the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) (Eighth Amendment) Order, 2026.
The amendment modifies Schedule VI, Serial No. 563, relating to Punica granatum (Pomegranate), by inserting a new entry covering Uzbekistan as the country of origin for fruits intended for consumption.
Accordingly, the relevant entry is:
Plant Species: Punica granatum
Common Name: Pomegranate
Plant Material: Fruits for consumption
Country of Origin: Uzbekistan
However, the market-access permission is accompanied by specific phytosanitary conditions.
Mandatory Phytosanitary Declaration for Pomegranates
The Phytosanitary Certificate accompanying pomegranates from Uzbekistan must contain an additional declaration confirming that the consignment is free from four specified pests/diseases:
1. Euzophera bigella β Quince Moth
The consignment must be declared free from Euzophera bigella, identified in the notification as Quince moth.
2. Lobesia botrana β European Grapevine Moth
The certificate must also establish freedom from Lobesia botrana, commonly known as the European grapevine moth.
3. Pseudococcus comstocki β Comstock Mealybug
The third specified pest is Pseudococcus comstocki or Comstock mealybug.
4. Botrytis cinerea β Grey Mould Disease
Finally, the consignment must be certified free from Botrytis cinerea, identified as Grey mould disease.
This means that an ordinary phytosanitary certificate without the prescribed additional declarations may not be sufficient for compliance with the amended Schedule VI.
Special Import Condition for Pomegranates
In addition to the pest-free declaration, the notification imposes a separate physical-condition requirement.
The pomegranate consignment must be:
free from plant debris, weed seeds and soil.
This condition is commercially important because compliance is not limited to documentation.
Exporters and packing facilities in Uzbekistan will need appropriate sorting, cleaning, packing and pre-export inspection procedures to ensure that consignments do not contain prohibited contaminants.
2. India Allows Regulated Import of Fresh Chillies from Uzbekistan
S.O. 4930(E) β Ninth Amendment Order, 2026
The second notification, S.O. 4930(E) dated 31 August 2026, introduces the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) (Ninth Amendment) Order, 2026.
It amends Schedule VI, Serial No. 67, relating to Capsicum annuum (Chilli).
The newly inserted entry covers:
Plant Species: Capsicum annuum
Common Name: Chilli
Plant Material: Fresh vegetable for consumption
Country of Origin: Uzbekistan.
The regulatory conditions for chilli differ from those applicable to pomegranate because the identified phytosanitary risks are commodity-specific.
Mandatory Phytosanitary Requirements for Fresh Chillies
Fresh chilli consignments from Uzbekistan must be accompanied by a Phytosanitary Certificate containing an additional declaration that the consignment is free from:
1. Aculops lycopersici β Tomato Russet Mite
The first specified pest is Aculops lycopersici, commonly known as Tomato russet mite.
2. Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV)
The second specified quarantine concern is Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV).
The notification therefore expressly incorporates a viral plant-health risk into the market-access conditions applicable to fresh chilli consignments from Uzbekistan.
Special Import Condition for Fresh Chillies
The notification additionally requires chilli consignments to be:
free from plant debris and soil.
There is a subtle difference between the conditions prescribed for the two products.
For pomegranates, the special condition specifically refers to freedom from:
plant debris + weed seeds + soil
whereas for fresh chillies it refers to:
plant debris + soil.
Importers and overseas suppliers should therefore avoid treating the two compliance requirements as interchangeable.
Comparative Compliance Matrix
| Compliance Parameter | Pomegranate | Fresh Chilli |
| Botanical name | Punica granatum | Capsicum annuum |
| Origin | Uzbekistan | Uzbekistan |
| Category | Fruit for consumption | Fresh vegetable for consumption |
| Schedule VI Serial No. | 563 | 67 |
| Euzophera bigella | Must be free | β |
| Lobesia botrana | Must be free | β |
| Pseudococcus comstocki | Must be free | β |
| Botrytis cinerea | Must be free | β |
| Aculops lycopersici | β | Must be free |
| ToBRFV | β | Must be free |
| Plant debris | Must be free | Must be free |
| Weed seeds | Must be free | Not expressly stated in new entry |
| Soil | Must be free | Must be free |
Why Schedule VI Is Important for Importers
The amendment of Schedule VI is more than an administrative change.
For import compliance purposes, an importer needs to examine the precise plant species, category of plant material, country of origin, additional declaration and special conditions appearing in the applicable Schedule VI entry.
Thus, the relevant compliance analysis is not simply:
βAre pomegranates or chillies importable?β
The more appropriate regulatory inquiry is:
βIs this particular plant material importable from this particular country of origin, and if so, subject to what phytosanitary declarations and special conditions?β
The 2026 amendments provide that country-and-commodity-specific framework for Uzbekistan.
What Changes for Uzbekistan?
The most significant practical effect is the insertion of Uzbekistan as a country of origin against the specified pomegranate and chilli entries.
The amendments therefore create a defined regulatory pathway under the Plant Quarantine Order for these specified agricultural commodities originating in Uzbekistan.
This can potentially support increased agricultural trade between India and Uzbekistan, but the permission is conditional rather than unconditional.
Exporters must ensure that the phytosanitary certification issued at origin contains the required declarations, while Indian importers must verify those conditions before shipment.
Compliance Responsibilities of Indian Importers
For Indian importers, procurement should not be finalised solely on the basis of commercial specifications.
Before shipment, the importer should verify at least the following:
- whether the commodity corresponds exactly with the botanical species and category mentioned in Schedule VI;
- whether Uzbekistan is correctly reflected as the country of origin;
- whether the phytosanitary certificate will contain all prescribed additional declarations;
- whether the goods have been cleaned and packed to comply with the applicable debris, soil and weed-seed conditions;
- whether other applicable Indian import requirements, including Customs, food-safety and port-related requirements, have independently been examined; and
- whether the original documentation and consignment details correspond with each other.
The Gazette amendments themselves deal with plant-quarantine conditions; they should not be read as dispensing with other regulatory requirements that may independently apply to the import transaction.
Implications for Exporters in Uzbekistan
Uzbek exporters seeking access to the Indian market should integrate India’s phytosanitary requirements into their pre-shipment compliance process.
This is especially important because the wording required in the phytosanitary documentation is tied to identified pests and diseases.
For pomegranate exporters, particular attention should be given to the four specified quarantine concerns, including European grapevine moth, Comstock mealybug and grey mould disease.
Fresh chilli exporters, meanwhile, must address Tomato russet mite and ToBRFV.
Accordingly, exporters may need to coordinate closely with their competent national plant-protection authority so that the Phytosanitary Certificate issued for India contains the declarations required by the amended Indian Plant Quarantine Order.
Implications for Customs Brokers and Logistics Providers
The amendments are also important for Customs Brokers handling fresh agricultural imports.
Agricultural imports involve an intersection of Customs clearance and plant-quarantine clearance. A shipment may be commercially valid and correctly classified under Customs law but still encounter clearance difficulties if mandatory phytosanitary requirements are not satisfied.
Therefore, documentation should ideally be scrutinised before the cargo is dispatched from Uzbekistan, rather than after its arrival at an Indian port.
A missing additional declaration can create operational complications that may result in examination, treatment, detention, re-export or other regulatory consequences depending upon the applicable legal framework and directions of the competent plant-quarantine authority.
Notification Date vs Gazette Publication Date: An Important Compliance Point
There is an important date distinction in the Gazette document.
Both notifications are dated 31 August 2026. However, the Gazette issue displayed on the document is No. 4740, New Delhi, Monday, 7 September 2026.
The commencement clauses expressly state that the respective amendment orders βshall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.β
Accordingly, businesses should distinguish the date appearing on the notification from the legally relevant Gazette publication/commencement date when determining applicability to particular consignments.
Broader Trade Significance
The notifications demonstrate how agricultural market access operates through commodity-specific and origin-specific risk management.
Instead of granting unrestricted entry, the Government has prescribed targeted phytosanitary safeguards corresponding to the pest and disease profile associated with each product.
For international traders, this illustrates an important feature of agricultural imports: market access and regulatory compliance are inseparable.
A commercial contract may establish price, quantity, Incoterms and delivery schedule, but the actual ability to import agricultural goods into India ultimately depends upon compliance with India’s plant-health framework.
Key Takeaways
The Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) (Eighth Amendment) Order, 2026 introduces an entry permitting pomegranate fruits for consumption from Uzbekistan, subject to certification that the consignment is free from four identified pests/diseases and is also free from plant debris, weed seeds and soil.
The Ninth Amendment Order, 2026 similarly introduces an entry for fresh chillies for consumption from Uzbekistan, requiring freedom from Tomato russet mite and Tomato brown rugose fruit virus, together with freedom from plant debris and soil.
Both amendments operate by modifying Schedule VI of the Plant Quarantine Order, 2003 and expressly provide for commencement from their publication in the Official Gazette.
Conclusion
The two amendments represent an important development in IndiaβUzbekistan agricultural trade, providing a specific regulatory pathway for imports of Uzbek pomegranates and fresh chillies into India.
At the same time, the notifications underline that opening a new agricultural import pathway does not mean relaxation of India’s biosecurity standards. Market access has instead been coupled with precise pest-specific certification and consignment-condition requirements.
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Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
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