Govt extends import ban on milk items from China by one year

The government has extended the ban on imports of milk and its products from China for one more year till June 2014.

"Prohibition on import of milk and milk products (including chocolates and chocolate products and candies/ confectionary/ food preparations with milk or milk solids as an ingredient) from China is extended for one more year, i.E., till 23.6.2014 or until further orders, whichever is earlier," Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification.

India had imposed the ban in September 2008 due to presence of melamine, used for making plastics and fertiliser.

The ban has been extended every year. It was to expire on June 23.

According to sources, the neighbouring country has not yet provided any data addressing the safety concerns.

More than a dozen countries in Asia and Africa have banned milk and dairy product imports from China due to melamine content, the dangerous chemical that can cause kidney stones as well as failure of the organ.

India, the world's largest milk producer, does not import milk products from China, but the ban is being imposed as a preventive measure.

The country's milk production is estimated to be 133 million tonnes in 2012-13.