Centre has revoked the export restrictions on Covid-19 testing kits and reagents including instruments/apparatus with decline in Covid-19 cases in the country, as per a Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) notification.
The revoking of export restrictions also includes RT-PCR kits and reagents, Covid-19 rapid antigen testing kits, VTM kits and reagents, synthetic fibre swabs, RNA extraction kits and reagents, Proteinase K, magnetic stand and beads.
“The export policy of all diagnostic kits and reagents (including instruments/apparatus) is being made free with immediate effect,” the DGFT stated in a notification.
In order to meet domestic needs amid increasing Covid-19 cases, export restrictions were imposed on diagnostic kits and reagents in June last year and August 16, 2021. An exporter has to seek licence or permission from the government for exports of goods which are under a restricted category.
One of the empowered groups on Covid-19 management had recommended that export restrictions be revoked from Covid-19 diagnostic kits and free export of these products be allowed till further intimation at a meeting on September 30, 2021.
Union health ministry in a notification on October 1, 2021 said the export restrictions are being revoked and RT-PCR kits, RNA extraction kits, VTMs and RAT kits will be allowed for export. If required the restrictions may be reinforced,” it stated.
In another notification, the directorate revoked a ban on exports of melt blown fabric of any GSM, used in air filtration equipment, mask materials and liquid filtering materials. “The melt blown fabric of any GSM has been made free for export with immediate effect,” it said.
The DGFT had earlier also revised its decision, dated October 4, on export of syringes with or without needles in a separate notification.
Earlier, it was put under restricted category for export purposes, but now the export restrictions are there for only 0.5 ml/ 1ml AD (auto–disable) syringes, 0.5 ml/1 ml/2 ml/3 ml disposable syringes and 1ml/2 ml/3 ml RUP (re-use prevention) syringes.
