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India's red tape still blocking ex-cricketer's play for willow market

Monday, 17 Oct 2016 08:11:53 | James Bennett

Former test cricketer Ian Callen makes bats from willow grown in Victoria. (ABC News)

Despite the Indian Government's promise to cut red tape, and pleading from Australian diplomats, a long-awaited decision is still pending from India's import umpires on whether Australian-grown willow can be used in to make cricket bats in India.

In Healesville, outside Melbourne, former Test cricketer Ian Callen makes bats from willow grown in Victoria.

When an order came from India for up to 5,000 blank bats, or 'clefts', the former fast bowler thought he had finally broken through English willow's domination.

"We packed the timber up and we put it in boxes, had the order ready to go," he said.

"[Buyer] Ramesh contacted me and said 'we've got a hiccup, we need to get an import licence'. That was six months ago."

India imports hundreds of thousands of willow clefts from the United Kingdom each year, which are then turned into bats by local manufacturers.

The wood Mr Callen is trying to send is the same species (Salix), but Indian import regulations only specify rules for willow coming from the UK, so his application for an import licence was denied.

"I don't understand it," he said.

"I've gone through all the documentation on the website of the Indian Government."

Ramesh Kohli Photo: Ramesh Kohli in his factory holding an English willow bat (right hand) and a sample made from Australian-grown willow in his left. (ABC News: James Bennett)

Growth plans thwarted

In the factory of Beat All Sports (BAS), located in the Punjabi industrial town of Jalandhar, practiced workers are hand-shaping bats.

An aging portrait of Indian cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar hangs on the wall, brandishing a BAS bat.

BAS co-owner Ramesh Kohli is the man trying to buy the wood Ian Callen has grown in Australia.

"It is frustrating," he told the ABC of the situation.

"Australian willow is as good as English willow. The only problem is we can't import it."

Mr Kohli said he wanted to use the extra supply to expand production, but the bureaucrats have him stumped.

"I felt really bad but I can't do anything, I have to wait," he said.

Diplomatic overtures unsuccessful

Australia's Agriculture Department briefed Indian authorities, assuring them the pre-cut pieces present no biohazard.

Mr Callen said he had also informed authorities he was happy to undertake the same fumigation process required for English willow.

"What we're trying to export is a dried, sawn bit of timber," he explained.

But Indian agriculture officials have told him that they are still working on a pest risk analysis.

Australia's High Commissioner to India, Harinder Singh, has also raised the issue with Indian authorities.

Locally sourced willow wood Photo: Australian willow. (Jenni Henderson)

But Mr Callen said he still cannot get a straight answer on when — or if — import permission will be granted.

"It is frustrating," he said.

"Its got to the stage now where we're just waiting, its got no timeline.

"The last thing we heard was that the scientist in charge of it is away sick."

Indian agriculture officials contacted by the ABC about the issue have not responded.

Hope for Ian Cullen and his willow yet

The situation illustrates the task for India's Government, in attempting to fulfil its pro-business mantra.

'Make in India', a program launched to encourage domestic manufacturing, promises streamlined approvals to lure investment, and is a pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The program is described as "a comprehensive and unprecedented overhaul of outdated processes and policies".

Cricket bat makers Photo: A sports goods factory in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh in northern India. (ABC News: Stephanie March)

The initiative's website said it "represents a complete change of the Government's mindset — a shift from issuing authority to business partner".

The former head of the Federated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Dr Rajiv Kumar, said extending existing regulations to Australia should not be difficult, given willow is already imported into India.

"It's eminently possible," said Dr Kumar, who is now an economic commentator.

"Where a certain permission exists for a group of countries, and doesn't for another group of countries."

AustraliaPlus


 

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