Despite nationwide ban, calcium carbide used by traders to ripen fruit

Traders continue to use calcium carbide to ripen such fruit as mangoes, bananas, chikoos, oranges and watermelon, despite the ban by the Centre on the use of the chemical. They are undeterred by the fact that state food and drug administrations (FDA) conduct raids every mango season.

According to a trader from the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) market in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, the state FDA seize between 1,000 and 2,000 boxes of mangoes that have been artificially ripened, with the sole objective of making a quick buck.

“Until the rules are enforced with utmost strictness, traders would continue to be fearless and use calcium carbide to ripen the fruit,” he added. Alam Khan, another fruit trader at the market, stated that artificial ripening was rampant because of the manner in which the market was structured. 

“The mangoes that enter the market before the commencement of the actual season are sold at higher prices. To take advantage of this, traders ripen the fruit using chemicals and sell the fruit as early as possible,” he added.

Khan stated that calcium carbide was banned owing to its carcinogenic properties, and explained the procedure traders follow to ripen the fruit. “Acetylene gas, a by-product of calcium carbide, creates heat,” he said.

“It is mainly used as a fuel and in welding, and contains toxic impurities that affect the nervous system. When acetylene is filled amidst the fruit in a box, it heats the fruit on the outside, and thus the mangoes and oranges turn yellow or orange, as the case may be.”

H G Koshia, food and drug commissioner, Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA), Gujarat said, “In 2013, FDCA’s food safety officers destroyed over 30 tonne mangoes ripened using calcium carbide.” 

“In February 2014, we seized over 100 boxes of mangoes ripened using it. Despite knowing about it, most traders are still using it, although stringent action has been taken against on them on a number of occasions,” he added. 

“Since the mango season is approaching, we would be doing regular checks on both retailers and wholesalers of mangoes to find out whether they have stopped using calcium carbide or not,” Koshia said.

Mahesh Zagade, food commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, said, “In 2012, our officials seized over 1,000 dozen mangoes ripened using calcium carbide from all over Maharashtra.”

“In May 2013, the officials seized 706 dozen mangoes, worth Rs 1.23 lakh from Pune’s Kasba Peth area. The use of calcium carbide is banned because it contain the traces of arsenic and phosphorus, which pose a serious threat to human health,” he added.

“Earlier we issued directives to the traders and warned them that they would be prosecuted if they continued to use calcium carbide. However, it is still being used in Maharashtra and across the country,” Zagade said. 

“In order to curb the use of calcium carbide to ripen fruit, we need to create awareness among the masses. We need to make the traders aware that instead of calcium carbide, they could use ethylene gas to ripen mangoes and other fruit,” he added.