A large number of merchant exporters using Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Mumbai are finding it difficult to export their products through JNPT as the new assistant drug controller (ADC) posted at the JNPT is insisting on several documents to clear the consignments which the exporters say are unrealistic and impossible.

The affected merchant exporters in Mumbai said that the ADC Nageshwar Rao posted at the JNPT is insisting on documents like manufacturing license, product registration certificate, certificate of analysis, list of approved products, DCGI permission for locally procured goods, vitamins, etc. which are impossible to submit as these certificates can be submitted only by the manufacturers and the merchant exporters in most of the cases are not manufacturers.

The merchant exporters said that due to the unfriendly attitude of the ADC, several shipments are held up with the clearing and handling agents (CHA) resulting in demurrage, delay, containers held up after stuffing, etc. In the absence of these newly required documents, the shipment is rejected, incurring huge losses to the exporters.

They said that usually the merchant exporters support their shipments with the stipulated documents like purchase invoice, DL Nos and samples required for ADC clearance through CHA. But during the last some months, shipments have been delayed and rejected at the JNPT by the ADC for want of documents which, the merchant exporters say, is not practicable as the documents like manufacturing license, product registration certificate, certificate of analysis, list of approved products, etc are issued by the regulatory authorities to the manufacturers.

Exporters said that they will soon meet the DCGI to find an amicable solution to the issue.