500 export items to have IIP-specified packaging

Amidst steadily falling exports, Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) has said a lot of the slide can be contained with better packaging and to help improve packaging it has decided to massively increase specifications for export items to 500 over next five years.
"We aim to draw specifications for 500 export products within the next five years and have already completed the job for 28 products," IIP director and principal executive officer NC Saha said here today. The IIP is a body under the commerce ministry.
Addressing a packaging industry summit, Saha, said despite the fact that we are a packaging machinery exporting nation, we also import heavily because locally produced packaging machineries are not accepted adapted.

He noted that as much as 70 per cent of the green bean coffee is exported in gunny bags. Similarly, although we are a major exporter of tea, only 10 per cent value addition for export is done here.
To address this, the department of commerce along with IIP is focusing on technical specifications for export, which will see as many as 500 export items will have specific packaging, Saha said.
It can be noted that exports have not grown at all since January and has been falling steadily to the tune of 15-20 per cent month-on-month.