Lok Sabha Question No. 2511 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-11
Subject: Testing of Imported Food Consignment
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE, BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB, DEVAJIBHAI GOVINDBHAI FATEPARA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2511

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 TH MARCH, 2016 TESTING OF IMPORTED FOOD CONSIGNMENT

## 2511. SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE:

## SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB: SHRI DEVAJIBHAI G. FATEPARA:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government draw samples from each imported food consignment for testing in their laboratories, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether the violation of the standard food safety norms in such testing have come to the notice  of  the  Government  during  each of  the  last  three  years  and  the  current  year, if  so,  the details  thereof  along  with  the actiontaken/being  taken  by  the  Government against  the perpetrators of such violations;
- (c) whether the Government has received any representations from industry associations to do away with the said practice and switch over to the international norm of r andom and risk - based inspections, if so, the details thereof along with the action taken/being taken by the Government on such representations so far; and
- (d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to reduce the time taken for clearance of importedfood consignment and enhancing ease of doing business?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

- (a): As per current practice, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) samples  from  each  imported  food  consignment.  However,  a  decision  has  been  taken  by  t Government and communicated to FSSAI vide Order dated 29.12.2015 to introduce risk based sampling of imported food consignments. Details of samples of imported food con signments are as under: -
- (b): The details of samples that were rejected during 2013 - 14  to 2015 - 16 are as under: -

| Year                |   Samples collected |
|---------------------|---------------------|
| 2013- 14            |               64505 |
| 2014- 15            |               66065 |
| 2015- 16 (31.01.16) |               58920 |

| Year                | Samples rejected ( Visual inspection   | stage) Samples rejected ( by notified laboratories   |
|---------------------|----------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| 1185                | 225                                    | 2013- 14                                             |
| 864                 | 537                                    | 2014- 15                                             |
| 2015- 16 (31.01.16) | 735 256                                |                                                      |

The imported food, which do not meet the regulatory requirements, is not permitte enter the market and returned back to customs for disposal.

- (c): As stated in reply to part (a) above, t he Government has, with a view to facilitate speedier trade across borders, decided to introduce risk based sampling of import consignment, inter alia , covered under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and regulations thereunder.
- (d) : The steps taken for speedier clearance of imported food consignment include :
- (i) single  Window  Clearance  System  which  has  been  operationalised  at  Inland  Containe Depo t (ICD), Tughlakabad, Patparganj, Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Del Kolkata  (Sea  port  &  Airport);  Chennai  (Sea  port  &  Airport);  and  Mumbai  ( Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust & Airport);
- (ii) pre - arrival  Document  System  (PADS)  has  been  operationalise d  on  02.02.2016  at  IGI Airport, New Delhi, Kolkata (Sea port & Airport), Chennai (Sea port & Airport), Mumb (Airport).
- (iii) at  ports  where  FSSAI  officials  are  not  posted  as  yet,  customs  officials  have authorized  to  draw  samples  from  imported  food  cons ignments  and  send  the  same  for testing.