| Govt issues advisory to States on labelling norm | |
| Press Trust of India / New Delhi March 23, 2009, 14:50 IST | |
The government has decided to give more time to food processors to implement the labelling norm under which every packaged food should mention on its label both nutritional value and ingredients from March 19.
The Health Ministry had issued the notification on September 19, 2008, making it clear what should be written on the labels of packaged food products. The implementation of the new rule was to be made after six months of the notification.
However, the ministry last week issued an advisory to States requesting them "not to book cases for violation of the provisions of the notification during initial period of three months of implementation."
In a letter addressed to health secretaries of all the states and union territories, G Balachandran, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Health said that a persuasive strategy could go a long way in facilitating smooth transition to the new nutritional labeling regime.
"The focus should primarily be on collecting information about the manufacturers who violate these provisions and writing to them advisory letters which provide information about the labeling regulations," he said.
The Centre is of the view that the new regulations should be "carefully enforced" through persuasion and education of the manufacturers, retailers and consumers, rather than through penal action in the initial phase.
The labelling order has exempted many commodities including mineral water, pickles, papad, sweet meats (mithaai), sugar and spices from mentioning nutritional value on the packs.
All India Food Processors Association (AIFPA), a representative body of over 1,000 small and medium enterprises in the sector, and Indian Vanaspati Producers' Association (IVPA) had urged the government to reconsider the issue and give sufficient time for implementation.
The labelling requirements would lead to closure of micro and small scale processing units, which contribute over 80 per cent of processed food products, AIFPA had said.
The IVPA had sought extension of time by three months to enable manufacturers to order for the new labels, by this time the old ones would be exhausted. The industry body of vanaspati manufacturers have also requested the minister to be liberal and not take cognizance of any violation of the new rules till mid-June.
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