Only 40 per cent of food business operators obtain licence

A day after the deadline for obtaining licence and registration certificate by Food Business Operators (FBOs) was extended till next year, only 40 per cent of the FBOs have completed the procedure in the district

As per the Food Safety and Standards (Licencing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations, 2011, it is mandatory that traders whose annual turnover is less than Rs. 12 lakh need to obtain registration certificate from the District Designated Food Safety Officer by enclosing a challan for Rs. 100 along with the application. Traders whose annual turnover is more than Rs. 12 lakh has to obtain licence by paying Rs. 2,000 or Rs. 5,000, depending upon the productivity.

There are about 28,000 food business operators in the district. But so far, after the online system was introduced in July 2013, only 1,790 have obtained licence while 9,565 have received registration certificates.

Operators include all food manufacturers, hotels, restaurants, food transporters, wholesalers, distributors and food processing units.

After the Act was implemented from August 5, 2011, operators were asked to complete the procedure within a year.

But they were given three extensions with final deadline given till February 4, 2015.

But operators are reluctant to go for licence or registration as they fear of inspections by Food Safety officers.

Adulteration in food items, use of banned chemicals and violation of the act by many operators continues in the district and hence operators are avoiding the procedure.