RAWALPINDI, March 14: Imported red chillies contaminated with various fungi have reportedly flooded the local markets, sources told Dawn on Thursday.

Two consignments of 500 tons, cleared by the customs authorities, were imported from India by some local traders, while consignments of equal quantity were awaiting clearance at the Karachi port, the sources said.

The Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), in its report about the consignment stated that it contained aspergillus niger, 70 per cent; aspergillus flavus, 25 per cent; rhizopus Sp, 90 per cent and mucor, 75 per cent.

Indian red chillies crop had been affected by rain leading to fungal contamination.

These consignments, according to sources, were released by the customs on the order of the plant protection department, which relied on the report of the PCSIR. The PCSIR had indicated the presence of these fungi.

The commerce ministry after learning about the matter had issued orders to the Collectorate of Customs to strictly abide by the provisions of Import Trade and Procedures Order (IT&PO) that prohibited the import of any edible product unfit for human consumption from any source.

It must be recalled that under the current IT&PO rules, import of goods from India or of Indian origin was not allowed except for certain items including whole red chillies.

The other sources from which whole red chillies were imported were Turkey, Burma, Egypt and China. The cost of chillies imported from these sources is equal to that of the locally-produced crop.

The Indian chillies were, however, this time cheaper by almost 45 per cent because of their inferior quality and contamination.

Agri-produce Farmers and Dealers Forum brought the matter into the notice of the commerce ministry demanding of it to suspend the import of red chillies from India atleast for the current crop season that would end in August 2002, because the present crop of red chillies were unfit for human consumption.

Pathologist Dr Abbas Hayat, when contacted for his opinion, said Aspergillus Flavus produced afflatoxin, which was the most potent carcinogen, or potentially cancer-causing agent, yet discovered.

Other mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus Sp, he said, include trichothecenes and zearalenone compounds known to injure the intestines, bone-marrow, lymph nodes, spleen and thymus.