With much importance placed on FDI in retail, food analysts sought strict implementation of food safety standards.
Speaking at a conference on ‘Enhancing Food Safety in Food Retail Chains’ organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), they felt the need for revisiting and strengthening the food control systems to improve safety standards in the entire value chain of food processing.
Deputy director of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Dr G Srinivasan said food safety (FSSAI) is a shared responsibility of all stake holders.
“As sourcing is globalised, India can become bread basket of the world if we pay more attention to standards,” he said.
According to reports, India has the second largest arabale land in the world. But despite having diverse agro-climatic zones suitable for the cultivation of a variety of crops, India’s share in global food processing is just 2.3 per cent and it lags far behind even Pakistan and Bangladesh.
“FSSAI’s overall objective is to consolidate laws related to food. It has placed emphasis on minimum effective legislation and science based legislation, and enforcement,” regulatory expert M M Chitale said.
Commenting on the agro-products wastage, principal secretary of the department of agriculture Bharat Lal Meena said wastage in agro-products is over 70 per cent in the country and this is a national waste.
“Food safety has become more relevant now as the Union government has allowed FDI in retail. Educated farmers are using integrated farming of many crops in a small area and increasing the yield and reducing wastage,” Meena said.
Speaking at a conference on ‘Enhancing Food Safety in Food Retail Chains’ organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), they felt the need for revisiting and strengthening the food control systems to improve safety standards in the entire value chain of food processing.
Deputy director of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Dr G Srinivasan said food safety (FSSAI) is a shared responsibility of all stake holders.
“As sourcing is globalised, India can become bread basket of the world if we pay more attention to standards,” he said.
According to reports, India has the second largest arabale land in the world. But despite having diverse agro-climatic zones suitable for the cultivation of a variety of crops, India’s share in global food processing is just 2.3 per cent and it lags far behind even Pakistan and Bangladesh.
“FSSAI’s overall objective is to consolidate laws related to food. It has placed emphasis on minimum effective legislation and science based legislation, and enforcement,” regulatory expert M M Chitale said.
Commenting on the agro-products wastage, principal secretary of the department of agriculture Bharat Lal Meena said wastage in agro-products is over 70 per cent in the country and this is a national waste.
“Food safety has become more relevant now as the Union government has allowed FDI in retail. Educated farmers are using integrated farming of many crops in a small area and increasing the yield and reducing wastage,” Meena said.
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