The Ministry of Commerce & Industry has announced new procedures to regulate pesticide residue in sesame seeds intended for export to the USA. These guidelines have been officially communicated through a public notice issued by the DGFT. The Department of Commerce has received a request from the Indian Oil Seeds and Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC) to introduce a procedure for exporting sesame seeds to USA, similar to the one established for exports to European Union (EU) countries under DGFT Notification No. 37/2015-20 dated February 3, 2016. In response, the Department intended to finalise a procedure to control pesticide residue contamination in sesame seeds for export to the United States of America (USA). This new procedure will be introduced on a trial basis for an initial period of one year. The objective of this procedure is to establish and enforce controls ensuring that sesame seed exports to the USA are free from pesticide residues exceeding the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) set by the US FDA. This procedure applies to all establishments in India where sesame seeds are processed, packaged, and stored for export to the USA, as well as to merchant exporters involved in this trade. These establishments and exporters will be collectively referred to as Food Business Operators (FBOs) in this document. For the purposes of this procedure, the term “sesame seed” encompasses natural sesame seeds, dehulled (hulled) sesame seeds, roasted sesame seeds, whether broken or whole, and any other value-added sesame seed products intended for export to the USA. For the purposes of this procedure, the term “sesame seed” encompasses natural sesame seeds, dehulled (hulled) sesame seeds, roasted sesame seeds, whether broken or whole, and any other value-added sesame seed products intended for export to the USA. The procedure will apply to sesame seeds with the following HS codes: ITC (HS) Code Description of goods 12074010 Sesame seeds whether or not broken of seed quality 12074090 Other sesame seeds whether or not broken The procedure also aims to create a web-based monitoring system through the establishment of a ‘Sesame Net’ portal. This portal will reduce paperwork and provide a ‘single window clearance,’ while also facilitating tracking and downstream traceability. The Department is inviting suggestions and feedback from stakeholders and the general public on the draft procedure. Comments and suggestions can be submitted via email to moc_epagri@nic.in by August 12, 2024, at 4:00 PM.