Lok Sabha Question No. 425 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-18
Subject: Packaging Standards for Exports
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, SUDHEER GUPTA, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 425 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 th  DECEMBER, 2017

## PACKAGING STANDARDS FOR EXPORTS

## 425.   SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA: SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN: SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR: KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वा ͨणÏय एवं उɮयोग मंğी ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether absence of proper packaging has resulted in a large amount of Indian food items getting rejected in developing market;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) the  names  of  the  countries  which  have  imposed  ban  on  import  of  Indian  food products on ground of contamination;
- (d) whether the Government proposes new packaging norms for export of food items to address concerns over food Safety and health standards and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether  the  Ministry  has  also  constituted  a  committee  to  formulate  packaging standards for export; and
- (f) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  time  by  which  the  said  Committee  is  likely  to submit its report to the Government?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h ¼Jh lh- vkj- pkS/kjh½

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

- (a&  b)  All  importing  countries  food  products  have  concerns  relating  to  human,  animal  and  plant health and hygiene and safety of food consumed by its citizens. As a measure of protection, importing countries often resort to rejections of individual consignments for non-compliance with their prescribed norms/safety standards/rules/regulations. The Government does not maintain any data on rejections of individual consignments.
- (c) At present, there is no instance of a formal country-specific ban on import of food products from India on grounds of contamination.

- (d) The  packaging  of  food  products,  for  exports  as  well  as  the  domestic  market,  is  regulated under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and labelling) Regulations, 2011 of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
- (e) The  Government  of  India  has  constituted  a  Packaging  Standards  Committee  under  the Chairmanship of the Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce to discuss challenges to India's exports and how improved packaging can help to boost exports.
- (f) The Committee comprises of representatives from Department of Commerce, Department of  Consumer  Affairs,  Bureau  of  Indian  Standards,  FSSAI,  Agricultural  &  Processed  Food Products  Export  Development  Authority  (APEDA),  Marine  Products  Export  Development Authority  (MPEDA),  Tea  Board,  Coffee  Board,  Tobacco  Board,  Spices  Board  and  Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP). The Committee has been mandated to identify various products (preferably with an export oriented focus) for developing packaging standards in line with or benchmarked to international standards. IIP has already designed and developed packaging standards and specifications for 28 varieties of fruits and vegetables for unit as well as bulk packaging and the report has been submitted to APEDA. APEDA has hosted the packaging standards on its website for the benefit of exporters.

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