 |
|
Yoav Lev was a 22-year-old backpacker when he first came to India in
1987. A graduate from an agricultural boarding school in Israel, he
came seeking inner peace from his 'spiritual guru', the late H.W.L.
Poonja of Lucknow, better known as Papaji. "The quest was to find my true purpose and true self," he says. He eventually stayed on in India, taking on a new name, Bharat Mitra, and is currently the Founder and President of Organic India, one of India's leading organic foods companies. It ended 2012 with Rs 60 crore revenues and hopes to reach Rs 90 crore this year, with about half of its sales in India. Organic foods are those made from agricultural products grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilisers. It was from Papaji that Lev learnt the healing power of tulsi (basil plant). By 1997, he had begun cultivating three types of tulsi organically in Azamgarh in eastern Uttar Pradesh. In 2006 he launched Organic India with tulsi tea as its flagship product. Today, the company makes 18 different flavours of tulsi tea and 33 different herbal formulations or supplements, which are said to have medicinal value. He is gearing up to launch a complete range of organic food items, including rice and pulses. "We are in the final stages of a very promising joint venture to launch a comprehensive range of products both for the Indian market and for exports," says Lev. He prefers not to reveal the name of the well known Indian company he is negotiating with. Lev is not alone. A clutch of entrepreneurs in India is betting big on the domestic organic food market . Consider Raj Seelam, an Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad alumnus. When Lev first took up tulsi cultivation, some 1,200 km down south in Hyderabad, Seelam was still selling pesticides and fertilisers. From 1988 to 2000, he worked in the farm inputs division of E.I.D Parry, a Murugappa Group company, one of the largest industrial groups in India. Indeed, the demand for organic foods in India has seen a sharp growth in recent years. While earlier, organic food producers primarily aimed at exports to Europe and the United States, there is now a gradual shift. "The demand for organic foods has been growing and today we stock a range of around 38 different organic foods in 40 stores as against just about half a dozen stores three years ago," says S. Jagdish Krishnan, Chief Operating Officer of the retail and bakery divisions of Heritage Foods, an organic food company with a big presence in Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. Most of the big retail chains now stock organic products, including Godrej Nature's Basket, Hyper City, Food Bazaar, More, Nilgiris, Spencers and Tesco - Starbazar. While no of-ficial figures are available, industry estimates put the organic food market within India at close to Rs 100 crore, having grown five-fold in the last six years. When Seelam began organic cultivation in 2004, not a single domestic retailer was willing to stock his products. They feared stocks would not move, since organic foods are significantly more expensive than conventional foods. That is partly due to higher processing costs, since they choose to eschew chemical additives, as well as higher packaging costs, to ensure a reasonably long shelf life. A kilo of Sona Masuri rice, a well known brand, for instance, sells at Rs 40 per kg while organic rice of the same variety costs Rs 60 per kg. Again, tur dal (a commonly used variety of pulses in India) is available at Rs 90 per kg while its organic version costs Rs 140 per kg. This is despite the doubling of prices of these commodities in the past three years, while the organic variants have stayed at almost the same price levels. Seelam was forced to focus on exports. But unwilling to give up on the local market, he set up his own retail stores in four cities - Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune and Chennai - to promote organic products. Today, almost every major retail outlet is willing to stock his products. He has a presence in close to 40 cities and towns, ranging from Patiala in the north to Guntur in the south, and broke even last year. So, why have domestic consumers taken to organic foods despite their cost? Mukesh Gupta, Director of Morarka Organic, which mainly focuses on the domestic market, attributes it to rising disposable incomes and improved awareness about the health benefits of organic foods. "From 2007 to 2012, the average middle class income in India has shot up. The consumer is willing to pay more for good quality food," he says. The demand for organic foods will only grow in India, organic food producers claim, with the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act from February this year. The new law sets more stringent standards of food safety - raising the bar on the quality of food manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import. The stress on quality under the new Act will push up prices of foodstuff made using conventional techniques, reducing the price differential with organic food, and boosting sales, asserts Gupta. However, consumers would do well to ensure that they only buy certified organic products, say producers. Organic food products manufactured in and exported from India are marked with the 'India Organic' certification mark issued by certification agencies accredited under the the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) and monitored by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). Most of the ing organic food companies in India voluntarily opt for this certification, though it is not mandatory for domestic sales. "The demand for certified organic foods has been growing since 2001. These are produced by about 570,000 small farmers in India with 500,000 hectares under cultivation," says P.V.S.M. Gouri, Advisor, National Accreditation Body, NPOP (under the Ministry of Commerce). Health Benefits A cross section of consumers BT spoke to said the high prices of organic food were a deterrent, but given the perceived health benefits they still opted for it. Says Sunitha Morampudi, 35, wife of a Hyderabad-based IT professional and a mother of two: "I prefer to take food that is produced organically. Yes, it is priced higher but I think it is better for our health." There has been considerable debate on whether organic food is, indeed, healthier than conventional food. A study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2009 had concluded that there was no evidence of any difference in the nutrient quality of organically and conventionally produced food. "The small differences in nutrient content detected are biologically plausible and mostly relate to differences in production methods," it said. The debate continues in India too. "We should not have fertilisers and pesticides in the food we consume but the nutrient quality of grains grown organically and conventionally is the same," says Dr Brundavani, consultant nutritionist at the Rainbow Children's Hospital in Hyderabad. But organic foods may have added benefits even if their nutritional value is the same as that of the conventionally grown. "In terms of the vitamin C content, an orange grown organically and another conventionally may be the same, but that is only half of the story. The chemicals present in conventional food make it difficult for the body to absorb the vitamin C," says Lev of Organic India. For the moment, with rising demand for their products, the organic foods industry in India appears set to flourish over the next few years. |
Feb 9, 2013
Organic food fast catching on with the Indian consumer
Food business operators welcome extension of registration deadline
Food business operators in the city have welcomed the decision to extend
the registration deadline by a year. Following a slew of
representations,the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India had
granted time till February 4,2014 to comply with the licensing and
registration rules laid down.
R Srinivasan,secretary of Tamil Nadu Hotels Association,said,We are not against the Act.But some provisions are not friendly.So we filed representations with the Centre to extend the deadline.
P Kulanthavel,a road-side vendor in Anna Nagar, said the food safety department should conduct registration camps in every ward.Most street vendors dont even know about the rules, he said.
After the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006,which includes new licensing and registration norms for food business units,was implemented in August 2011,this is the second time the deadline has been extended.Sources said very few eateries and restaurants in the city had enrolled with the state food safety department despite several notices being issued.Of the identified 22,441 food outlets in the city,only 7,000were registered,they added.District foodsafety officer S Lakshmi Narayan said,We will continue to conduct awareness programmes among food business operators.
All food business operators with an annual turnover of less than 12 lakh will have to obtain a certificate,while those with a turnover of more than 12 lakh will have to obtain a licence.
R Srinivasan,secretary of Tamil Nadu Hotels Association,said,We are not against the Act.But some provisions are not friendly.So we filed representations with the Centre to extend the deadline.
P Kulanthavel,a road-side vendor in Anna Nagar, said the food safety department should conduct registration camps in every ward.Most street vendors dont even know about the rules, he said.
After the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006,which includes new licensing and registration norms for food business units,was implemented in August 2011,this is the second time the deadline has been extended.Sources said very few eateries and restaurants in the city had enrolled with the state food safety department despite several notices being issued.Of the identified 22,441 food outlets in the city,only 7,000were registered,they added.District foodsafety officer S Lakshmi Narayan said,We will continue to conduct awareness programmes among food business operators.
All food business operators with an annual turnover of less than 12 lakh will have to obtain a certificate,while those with a turnover of more than 12 lakh will have to obtain a licence.
Mother’s milk banks save babies in India
Jaipur:
It’s a bank unlike any other. It saves the lives of the smallest and
the weakest when their mothers can’t. The growing demand and importance
of human milk banks will see the first one in North India being opened
in Mewar region this month and another in Kolkata at SSKM hospital.
Called Divya Mothers Milk Bank, the Mewar bank will be in tune with the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, says Devendra Agarwal, founder of Maa Bhagwati Vikas Santhan, the NGO supporting this initiative. Mewar’s milk bank will be the fourth functional one after Pune, Mumbai and Surat, and will be established at Panna Dhai Hospital, Udaipur.
This initiative will help Mewar region which is battling high infant mortality rates. A recent state health department survey has found that 42% of newborns in Rajasthan are undernourished and need mother’s milk. Breastfeeding and donated milk can reduce infant mortality rates by 22 %. “We intend to identify such children to provide milk to them,” said Agarwal. “Lack of mother’s milk has hindered their growth.” Milk, which is free, will be available after doctors and hospitals prescribe it. The bank can daily accommodate 60 donors and has a storage capacity of six litres.
Dr RK Agarwal, one of the founders of the bank, says, “Seeking donation is, however, a challenge and requires counseling of potential donors. Our vision is to increase the availability of mother’s milk throughout the nation.”
Milk banks are a boon for pre-term babies whose mothers don’t usually have milk for the first 2-3 days. “In such cases, human milk is better than formula or cow milk,” says Dr Jayashree Mondkar, head of neonatology at Sion Hospital, Mumbai.
The likely donors, says Agarwal, will be mothers who give birth to stillborn infants and those with surplus milk. Medical tests to exclude HIV/ AIDS will first be conducted on the donors. The milk, after being expressed with suction machines, will be transferred to storage containers.
Called Divya Mothers Milk Bank, the Mewar bank will be in tune with the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, says Devendra Agarwal, founder of Maa Bhagwati Vikas Santhan, the NGO supporting this initiative. Mewar’s milk bank will be the fourth functional one after Pune, Mumbai and Surat, and will be established at Panna Dhai Hospital, Udaipur.
This initiative will help Mewar region which is battling high infant mortality rates. A recent state health department survey has found that 42% of newborns in Rajasthan are undernourished and need mother’s milk. Breastfeeding and donated milk can reduce infant mortality rates by 22 %. “We intend to identify such children to provide milk to them,” said Agarwal. “Lack of mother’s milk has hindered their growth.” Milk, which is free, will be available after doctors and hospitals prescribe it. The bank can daily accommodate 60 donors and has a storage capacity of six litres.
Dr RK Agarwal, one of the founders of the bank, says, “Seeking donation is, however, a challenge and requires counseling of potential donors. Our vision is to increase the availability of mother’s milk throughout the nation.”
Milk banks are a boon for pre-term babies whose mothers don’t usually have milk for the first 2-3 days. “In such cases, human milk is better than formula or cow milk,” says Dr Jayashree Mondkar, head of neonatology at Sion Hospital, Mumbai.
The likely donors, says Agarwal, will be mothers who give birth to stillborn infants and those with surplus milk. Medical tests to exclude HIV/ AIDS will first be conducted on the donors. The milk, after being expressed with suction machines, will be transferred to storage containers.
City water tankers flout rules Don’t Have Mandatory Certificate From Food Safety Dept
Chennai:
Water tankers are revving up as a severe summer awaitsChennaiwhich
received less than half the expected monsoon rain.TOIhas found that none
of the 2,000-odd private water tankers crisscrossing the city has the
mandatory certification from the food safety department.
Neither do peoplewhobuy ‘drinking water’ from these tankers know about the food safety certificate nor do the tanker owners care to get the licence under the Food Safety Standards Act. Officials said that all private drinking water tankers should have a food business operator (FBO) licence under the Food Safety and Standards(Licensing and Registration) Regulations, 2011. It is also a must for the tankers to be certified for hygiene. The water quality has to be tested every six months at recognised laboratories.
Many residents said they are forced to depend on these private tankers because of poor supply by Metrowater. Chennai Metrowater Tankers Association president N Nijam Lingam said he, and many others, were not aware of the licence system. “If there is such a law, we will abide by it,” he said.
District food safety officer S Lakshmi Narayan said the department was trying to spread awareness among water tanker owners and buyers of tanker water. “We will tell tanker operators to ensure quality of drinking water which should be collected only from licensed sources,” he said.
Private tanker operators supply water to apartment complexes, hospitals and hotels among other establishments. Complaints have been pouring in that most of these tankers draw water from borewells and open tanks without any purification. “Drinking water samples should have a minimum chlorine level of 0.2 parts per million (ppm), but water sourced from borewells and open wells rarely meets the standard,” said an officer.
It is also a concern that the vehicles used to transport water were earlier used to ferry oil. Officials said all drinking water tankers should be certified to carry drinking water.
The inside of the water tanker lorries should also be coated with a material to prevent water contamination. “If the water is being used for other purposes, they should mention it as ‘not for drinking’.
Meanwhile, hundreds of packaged drinking water units also flourish in and aroundthecity,butonly 89 are registered with the department.A Shakespeare, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Association said the organisation is trying to spread awareness among packagers.
Neither do peoplewhobuy ‘drinking water’ from these tankers know about the food safety certificate nor do the tanker owners care to get the licence under the Food Safety Standards Act. Officials said that all private drinking water tankers should have a food business operator (FBO) licence under the Food Safety and Standards(Licensing and Registration) Regulations, 2011. It is also a must for the tankers to be certified for hygiene. The water quality has to be tested every six months at recognised laboratories.
Many residents said they are forced to depend on these private tankers because of poor supply by Metrowater. Chennai Metrowater Tankers Association president N Nijam Lingam said he, and many others, were not aware of the licence system. “If there is such a law, we will abide by it,” he said.
District food safety officer S Lakshmi Narayan said the department was trying to spread awareness among water tanker owners and buyers of tanker water. “We will tell tanker operators to ensure quality of drinking water which should be collected only from licensed sources,” he said.
Private tanker operators supply water to apartment complexes, hospitals and hotels among other establishments. Complaints have been pouring in that most of these tankers draw water from borewells and open tanks without any purification. “Drinking water samples should have a minimum chlorine level of 0.2 parts per million (ppm), but water sourced from borewells and open wells rarely meets the standard,” said an officer.
It is also a concern that the vehicles used to transport water were earlier used to ferry oil. Officials said all drinking water tankers should be certified to carry drinking water.
The inside of the water tanker lorries should also be coated with a material to prevent water contamination. “If the water is being used for other purposes, they should mention it as ‘not for drinking’.
Meanwhile, hundreds of packaged drinking water units also flourish in and aroundthecity,butonly 89 are registered with the department.A Shakespeare, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Association said the organisation is trying to spread awareness among packagers.
Licensing relief for hotels again!
Thiruvananthapuram: The
Union Ministry of Health and Family welfare has extended the deadline
for hoteliers and restaurants to get the mandatory licence and
registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act by one year. City
folks feel that the relaxation can lead to more unsavory incidents of
spicy hot food served with dead cockroaches and centipedes.
This is the second time the
extension has been given, making a mockery of efforts to rein in
eateries. The last day that was fixed earlier was February 4, 2013. The
order issued by the food safety and standards authority of India,
Ministry of health and Family Welfare stated that in continuation of the
statutory advisory dated July 25, 2012 it has been decided to extend
the time to February 4, 2014 for food business operators who have not
obtained licence or registration under the new act.Sisy Roy, the mother of Sachin Roy Mathew, who allegedly died after consuming shawarma on July 16, 2012 from a city hotel, said, “ I don’t know why the government has taken such a decision, every day we hear that bad food is being served in hotels. The government is supposed to take strict action against these hoteliers; instead they are giving more time.”
She added that it has been eight months since the death of her son but the case has not made any progress. “Does any government understand the pain that I am going through? My son is no more, and what was his fault? He paid money and bought the food. One second I was calling my son and the next I was not able to reach him because tragedy struck him.”
Food Safety Act framed to promote 'Packed food' only: CAIT
CAIT
National President B. C. Bhartia and Secretary General Praveen
Khandelwal have said that the Food Safety Act and its rules have been
framed in keeping the interest of foreign companies which will promote
'packed food? in the Country and will prove much detrimental to the
interests of existing food business in the Country.
There are many provisions, which is impossible for the domestic food
business operators in the Country.CAIT has that under the Act it is
provided that any such food business operator which means any
institution which either with a profit motive or not , whether public or
private engaged in the activities of any type of food including
processing, packaging, storage, transportation, import, distribution of
food articles or any type of food service will be treated as food
business operators are bound to obtain registration and licence from the
concerned department.Both trade leaders said that under the provisions of the Act not only the person engaged in food business or even in any function where food articles are used will be required to obtain registration.
Khandelwal has demanded the Government to re-examine the rules and regulations and a CAIT delegation will soon meet the Minister of Health Gulam Nabi Azad and Chairman, Food Safety and Standards Authority and by presenting a memorandum will demand to constitute a Joint Committee of Senior Officials and Trade representatives to review the rules and regulations.
Food safety and standards regulations: Vidarbha businessmen hail move to extend registration date
According to a press release issued by VTA, the food safety and standards regulations came into force from August 5 2011. One of the clauses in the document stipulates that all food business operators (FBO) shall have to apply for conversion or renewal of their licence within one year of the date of notification of the rules.
This is the second time when the deadline for registration has been extended. Earlier the FSSAI had given a six month extension.
As per the definition, a food business operator (FBO) is any undertaking whether for profits or not, public or private, carrying out any activities related to any stage of manufacture, processing, packaging, storage, transportation distribution, sale import of food or food ingredients.
All such business establishments having annual income of Rs 12 lakh and above should have to get a licence to operate over and above getting registered.
It is only registration if it is below Rs 12 lakh an year. Since the definition is too broad it can cover even the roadside vendors and small eateries within its ambit, said VTA press release VTA has been claiming that too stringent laws will only encourage corruption
Food Safety and Standards Authority unable to implement a uniform licence scheme in Noida
However, there are challenges for both FSSAI and restaurants. "FSSAI has begun with a few random checks to see if licences have been renewed or fresh licences have been attained for starting a food business. However, the central food authority faces trained manpower crunch but will surely act upon consumer complaint," Ashwin Bhadri, business relations head at Equiniox Labs, which works as a consultant for FSSAI and does lab checks on its behalf.
There are anywhere between 50 lakh and 60 lakh eateries in the country. Food safety has been a perennial challenge in India with frequent cases of food adulteration and food poisoning.
Noida restaurateurs and other food business operators have welcomed the central food authority, FSSAI's push for the implementation of the food business operator licence and registration to operate. It is an attempt to streamline and regulate the country's burgeoning Rs 50,000 crore eating-out industry.
The deadline was for food business operators, who need to renew their licences but those starting a new business will have to mandatorily acquire FSSAI licence in order to operate.
"FSSAI will not be able to penalise restaurants because numerous state food authorities, including Delhi and UP government, have still not created the infrastructure to issue licences. However, FSSAI can go ahead with random checks for compliances," emphasised Samir Kuckreja, president of the National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI).
According NRAI, the current food retail market size is worth around Rs 50,000 crore but it is predominantly unorganised (over 80 per cent). Contribution from organised players is only about Rs 8,000 crore. Within the organised market, Delhi-NCR accounts for nearly 18-20 per cent share.
"It is surely a progressive move and as an association we have been giving our recommendations to strengthen the Food Safety and Standards Act. Apart from centralising numerous Acts like PFA, FPO and others into one, it will also create accountability for all stakeholders across the food supply chain," said Kuckreja.
Manas Wadha, who owns Desi Vibes, Kaffia and Nysha in Noida Sector 18 is quite happy with the introduction of FBO licences. "Though it requires detailed documentations (around 35), I wouldn't say it is tedious but a step towards getting more organised. It was due for the restaurant industry and I am happy that it is happening."
Adding further, Manas said, "All serious operators will take the pain and the rest will move out. This exercise will make things easier for us."
For Rishabh Saxena of Kebab Plus in Noida, the devil is in the detail. "In practicality the guidelines need to be more user-friendly for all kinds of operators."
Under the guidelines, every restaurant in every city will require a separate licence from the state authority. In addition, a food business firm will need a central licence obtained from the head office - FSSAI.
A food business - whose annual revenue is Rs 12 lakh and above but less than Rs 20 crore - will require FBO licence from the state food authority but for businesses churning revenue over Rs 20 crore will have to get a central licence from FSSAI.
To get the 'food business operator' licence, all restaurants and hotels, snack bars, cafes, school and office cafeterias, and cafes within hospitals will need to comply with a series of stringent guidelines. To continue operations, they need to display copies of the licence at prominent places within the restaurant premises and employ at least one technical person to supervise the production process.
The compliance measures include: eateries must install chimneys; follow systematic cleaning schedules; follow procedures in sourcing raw material; and, install specific temperature control.
Ashish Kapoor, owner of Yo! China and Dimsums India is in favour of the move. "Deadlines are a a must. Otherwise nobody will take it seriously."
FOOD SAFETY rules deferred for 1 year; CAIT alleges Act to facilitates foreign companies entry in food business
Welcoming the decision of the Authority CAIT National President B. C. Bhartia and Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal in a joint statement issued here today said that since last more than one year, the trading community is bitterly opposing the Rules and Regulations of the said Act since the Act and its rules have been framed in keeping the interest of foreign companies which will promote ‘packed food’ in the country and will prove much detrimental to the interests of existing food business in the country. There are many provisions which are impossible for the domestic food business operators in the country.
Both Bhartia and Khandelwal said that under the Act it is provided that any such food business operator which means any institution which either with a profit motive or not , whether public or private engaged in the activities of any type of food including manufacturing, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, import, distribution of food articles or any type of food service will be treated as food business operators are bound to obtain registration and licence from the concerned department.
Both trade leaders said that under the provisions of the Act not only the person engaged in food business or even in any function where food articles are used will be required to obtain registration. They said that which means that even the ‘prasad’ in temple or ‘lunger’ in Gurudwara, Wedding functions or social functions, hawkers, street vendors etc. are also liable to obtain registration and even a minor lapse will led such people for punishment as prescribed in the Act.
Bhartia and Khandelwal has demanded the government to re-examine the rules and regulations and a CAIT delegation will soon meet the Minister of Health Gulam Nabi Azad and Chairman, Food Safety and Standards Authority and by presenting a memorandum will demand to constitute a Joint Committee of Senior Officials and Trade representatives to review the rules and regulations.
FSSAI extends deadline for licensing, registration to February 4, 2014
After getting the notification from the health ministry, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has further extended the licensing and registration deadlines to February 4, 2014. This is the third time the country's apex food regulator has granted an extension to the FBOs.
Even after a two-year time frame, which included a six-month extension, FSSAI was able to register 11 lakh out of the country's 5 crore FBOs and given license to only 3 lakh FBOs so far agaisnt the target of 50 lakh. Even though FSSAI was not in a mood to extend the deadline the pressure from the health ministry compelled them to extend the deadline for registration and licensing for one more year.
The first deadline to obtain licensing and registration was extended from August 4, 2012 to February 4, 2013 under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and now the deadline has been extended to February 4, 2014.
As per the new rules, anybody who are engaged in selling anything edible – roadside tea stalls, dhabas, fruit and vegetable hawkers, grocery shops, milk vendors, canteens, caterers, restaurants, hotels and food processors failing to get license and registration by February 4, 2013, were to be penalised by the food regulator.
A Madhavan, assistant director, enforcement-I, FSSAI, informed, “The deadline for registration and licensing for all the FBOs in the country has been extended by one year. I am sure that this year we will be able to complete our targets. The health ministry will help us in getting more man power in order to complete the job on time.”
When quizzed whether a year would be enough for FBOs or whether it will further be extended on February 4, 2014, it will further extended to which he replied, “No, we will be coming up with technologies and infrastructure will be developed in order to complete the procedure on time.”
One of the objectives of enforcement is to ensure that registration/licensing provisions are fulfilled and food items are hygienic, wholesome and free of contaminants.
Tejinder Singh Renu, honorary secretary, Vidarbha Taxpayers Association (VTA), Nagpur said, “FSSAI shown the haste in introducing the new regulation without adequate consultation with the states. With the poor awareness, now the regulators are finding it difficult to convince the food business operators, particularly middle and smaller ones, to get themselves registered under the new regime.”
He added, “Many bodies of food business operators have been opposing the regulations from the day it was implemented, because the new regulations will result into the harassment of the small vendors, who will also have to take registration in addition to all other licenses required from state government agencies.”
“They should set regulations not only by taking scientists, advisors and people from the health ministry into confidence, but also traders and leaders of the bodies for food business operators,” said Renu.
Even after a two-year time frame, which included a six-month extension, FSSAI was able to register 11 lakh out of the country's 5 crore FBOs and given license to only 3 lakh FBOs so far agaisnt the target of 50 lakh. Even though FSSAI was not in a mood to extend the deadline the pressure from the health ministry compelled them to extend the deadline for registration and licensing for one more year.
The first deadline to obtain licensing and registration was extended from August 4, 2012 to February 4, 2013 under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and now the deadline has been extended to February 4, 2014.
As per the new rules, anybody who are engaged in selling anything edible – roadside tea stalls, dhabas, fruit and vegetable hawkers, grocery shops, milk vendors, canteens, caterers, restaurants, hotels and food processors failing to get license and registration by February 4, 2013, were to be penalised by the food regulator.
A Madhavan, assistant director, enforcement-I, FSSAI, informed, “The deadline for registration and licensing for all the FBOs in the country has been extended by one year. I am sure that this year we will be able to complete our targets. The health ministry will help us in getting more man power in order to complete the job on time.”
When quizzed whether a year would be enough for FBOs or whether it will further be extended on February 4, 2014, it will further extended to which he replied, “No, we will be coming up with technologies and infrastructure will be developed in order to complete the procedure on time.”
One of the objectives of enforcement is to ensure that registration/licensing provisions are fulfilled and food items are hygienic, wholesome and free of contaminants.
Tejinder Singh Renu, honorary secretary, Vidarbha Taxpayers Association (VTA), Nagpur said, “FSSAI shown the haste in introducing the new regulation without adequate consultation with the states. With the poor awareness, now the regulators are finding it difficult to convince the food business operators, particularly middle and smaller ones, to get themselves registered under the new regime.”
He added, “Many bodies of food business operators have been opposing the regulations from the day it was implemented, because the new regulations will result into the harassment of the small vendors, who will also have to take registration in addition to all other licenses required from state government agencies.”
“They should set regulations not only by taking scientists, advisors and people from the health ministry into confidence, but also traders and leaders of the bodies for food business operators,” said Renu.
-page-001.jpg)
Reconsider some provisions of Food Act
DMK President M Karunanidhi, whose party is a key ally of the Congress-led UPA
at the Centre, today urged it to reconsider certain provisions in the Food
Safety Act as it would affect small traders. In a statement here, he said though
the intentions of the Act, which has come into force after being ratified by
Parliament, was lofty, certain provisions were not practically possible as it
would affect the small traders. Claiming that the Food Safety and Standards Act
had contained several provisions that would harm the interests of small traders
and consumers, he said making the specifications of the items in the pack either
in English and Hindi mandatory, was practically not possible.
Noting that consumers, especially the poor, were at present purchasing
unpacked items, he said the Act makes packing of all commodities mandatory
before selling. "If the packing is made mandatory, small and retail traders will
face several difficulties and also result in consumers end up paying more", he
noted.
"The Act cannot be wholeheartedly accepted as there are chances of intrerferences of officials as licences has to be compulsorily obtained by manufacturers and even street vendors", he said, adding, the hefty fine imposed under the Act, including jail terms, were not acceptable. Pointing out the opposition from small traders, the DMK Chief urged the Centre to take this into consideration and take effective steps to assist the small traders.
"The Act cannot be wholeheartedly accepted as there are chances of intrerferences of officials as licences has to be compulsorily obtained by manufacturers and even street vendors", he said, adding, the hefty fine imposed under the Act, including jail terms, were not acceptable. Pointing out the opposition from small traders, the DMK Chief urged the Centre to take this into consideration and take effective steps to assist the small traders.
FSSAI deadline for registration, licence extended again
Even
after a two-year timeframe, including a six-month extension, just 11
lakh out of the country’s 5 crore food business operators registered
themselves with the apex food regulator and only around 3 lakh food
licences have been issued so far against the target of 50 lakh.
This has compelled the Food and Safety Standard Authority of India
(FSSAI) again to extend the deadline for registration and licence for
the food industry by six months, to August 2013.The first deadline was extended from August 2012 to February 4, 2013 under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006.
As per rules, anybody engaged in selling anything edible — roadside tea stalls, dhabas, fruits and vegetable hawkers, grocery shops, milk vendors, canteens, caterers, restaurants, hotels, food processors — failing to get licence and registration by February 4 were to be penalised by the food regulator.
One of the objectives of the enforcement is to ensure that registration/licensing provisions are fulfilled and food items are safe, hygienic, wholesome and free of contaminants.
However, given the haste shown by the FSSAI in introducing the new regulation without adequate consultation with the States and the poor awareness, the regulator is finding it difficult to convince the food business operators, particularly middle and smaller ones, to get themselves register under the new regime.
In fact, various food business associations have been opposing the regulation alleging that it will result into harassment of the small dhabas and vendors who will also have to take registration in addition to all other licences required from State Government agencies.
The National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) said though the process would help vendors get some legitimacy, it would open doors for widespread harassment. “It is supposed to ensure that street food vendors observe better hygiene standards, but the deadline is unrealistic. Failure to obtain registration certificate would entail closure of operations,” Arbind Singh, national coordinator of the association, said.
Tamil Nadu Foodgrain Merchants Association Ltd (TFMA) in Madurai has appealed Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to not to implement the Act till its defects and shortcomings were removed.
Sources said the States too are not keen in implementing the legislation in view of shortage of staff and poorly equipped laboratories to test food samples.
As per the regulations, all food business operators have to be registered with the local authorities. And those having an annual turnover of above Rs 11 lakh have to procure a food licence to operate their services in the absence of which their business would become illegal.
Food safety licence: State seeks more time
Last date for registration ends today
The State government has appealed to the Centre to extend the deadline for securing licences or registrations by Food Business Operators (FBO), a mandatory requirement under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, by another six months.
The deadline fixed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) of India ends on Monday, February 4.
Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar said that he had written to the Centre seeking an extension of the deadline as an estimated one-and-a-half lakhs or more traders in the State were yet to be brought under the umbrella of the Food Safety wing through the registration/licensing process.
The Commissioner of Food Safety had earlier indicated that any person found to be engaging in food-related businesses without a licence or registration after the set deadline would have to face legal action as prescribed in the FSSA. This included a fine of up to Rs.5 lakhs and imprisonment of up to six months.
Till date over 25,000 FBO licences and over one lakh FBO registrations have been issued. Since January 15, the Food Safety wing has been organising licence/registration melas in all 69 taluks across the State. The process has been made online.
The State government has appealed to the Centre to extend the deadline for securing licences or registrations by Food Business Operators (FBO), a mandatory requirement under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, by another six months.
The deadline fixed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) of India ends on Monday, February 4.
Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar said that he had written to the Centre seeking an extension of the deadline as an estimated one-and-a-half lakhs or more traders in the State were yet to be brought under the umbrella of the Food Safety wing through the registration/licensing process.
The Commissioner of Food Safety had earlier indicated that any person found to be engaging in food-related businesses without a licence or registration after the set deadline would have to face legal action as prescribed in the FSSA. This included a fine of up to Rs.5 lakhs and imprisonment of up to six months.
Till date over 25,000 FBO licences and over one lakh FBO registrations have been issued. Since January 15, the Food Safety wing has been organising licence/registration melas in all 69 taluks across the State. The process has been made online.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)