Chinese import restrictions: Pharma companies seek more time to meet export orders from foreign clients

Clearances, however, are happening for consignments post proper checks, inspections as desired by the customs latest protocols.

The pharma companies and their industry bodies have written afresh yesterday to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Cabinet Secretary- Rajiv Guaba, Health secretary Preeti Sudan, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Principal Secretary to PM requesting for expediting clearance of import consignments.

“There has been a huge disruption on account of inordinate delay in Customs Clearing from last one week” and non-clearance of imported Pharma Key Starting Raw Materials (KSM’s), Intermediates & API’s, COVID related medical devices, as well as diagnostics from ports particularly Nhava Sheva & Delhi Airport, are hurting the industry, said the letter.

"There are many international commitments, Indian pharma companies have export orders in advance from a lot of countries in Africa, EU, etc, were not meeting these commitments, there are serious penal provisions. Many pharma companies have global tie-ups where drugs and medicines need to be supplied from India and they get branded and marketed in those countries, so now pharma companies are forced to reach to their clients, seeking an extension of order timelines caused due to the import restrictions. Holland, Germany have already sounded that in the next one or two years they will start pharma manufacturing in their own country and reduce their reliance on India. So there is hardly enough opportunity left and such man-made barriers impact the international reputation of Indian manufacturers," said Dinesh Dua, Chairman Pharmexcil.