Feb 28, 2014

Australia warns India over food exports

One of key reasons for rejections has been new food labeling law and policy in Australia
Barely six months after Russia lifted a ban on import of rice and peanut from India on grounds of contamination, Australia has warned India of violation of laws governing processed food exports to the country.
An advisory by the department of agriculture, Australia, has been issued and circulated through APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority), that Indian exporters involved in the exports of processed food products especially, containing milk, have not been following the relevant regulation of imports into Australia, after detection of cases violating the import regulations.
In tandem, India's food exports to Australia fell by 17% in value (from Rs 556 crore to Rs 458 crore) and nearly 12% quantity (from 57,877 MT to 5,1077 MT) in one year's time between April and November2012-13 and 2013-14, according to data from APEDA. Last year, India exported 460 metric tonne of dairy products to Australia (between April-November2012-13), which came down to 327 MT to same period this year.
One of the key reasons for rejections has been the new food labeling law and policy in Australia. In 2011, the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council together with the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) commissioned an independent review of Food Labelling Law and Policy. The review made 61 recommendations covering a wide range of food labeling issues.
"Rejection Australia has upgraded its import norms for foodproducts, and thus most of the rejections are on account of issues like packaging," said P C Sunish, partner, Arul Appalam Depot, a processed food exporter to Australia.
Notably, last year, much of the food exports to Australia were driven by guar gum boom, but the slump this year in guar gum had been largely compensated by higher Basmati rice exports from India. This apart, non-adherence to safety standards, especially labeling, has been one of key reasons for largenumber of refusals for Indian products in other markets as well.
For example, Indian food products are in the top of refusal lists at the US FDA (Food & Drug administration),mostly on the ground of being adulterated and misbranded. In the month of January alone, India faced the highest number of rejections, about 236, according to the monthly refusal list issued by the Operational and Administrative System for Import Support (OASIS), of the US FDA. A large number of products in the list are either processed food, followed by pharmaceutical products.

Food Safety Act defaulters fined Rs 12,000

Jammu, February 26
The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) today imposed a fine of Rs 12,000 on traders for violating norms of the Food Safety Act. An inspection was conducted by a team of municipal officials of different markets ahead of the Mahashivratri. 
Led by Health Officer Dr Mohammad Saleem Khan, a team of municipal veterinary officer, food safety officers and other field staff visited Janipur, Gandhi Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Roop Nagar, Durga Nagar, Bantalab, Muthi, Talab Tillo, Vikram Chowk, New Plot and Shiv Nagar and inspected shops and eateries. 
A number of food establishments, including sweet shops, meat shops, fish shops, provisional stores and food stalls, were checked. A compounding fee of Rs 12,600 was also realised from defaulters. Dr Khan said shopkeepers dealing with food items were warned and directed to ensure supply of good quality of food to people.

Modi urges traders to face global challenges

‘Don’t be scared of competition’ 
New Delhi: BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Thursday said the consumers in small towns and cities have become brand conscious and small traders should seize the opportunity to service this demand.” Do not be scared by these things. Our children have taken IT to the world. You have to embrace modern science and technology. Set up e-commerce. You can set up virtual malls in small shops,” Modi said without committing his stance on allowing foreign retailers in the country. 
The BJP has opposed the entry of global retailers such as Wal-Mart and Tesco and its government in Rajasthan has reversed a decision to allow foreign chains in the multi-brand retail sector. 
Modi, who is seen as a tough administrator, also called for eliminating outdated laws which have stifled the common man and the business community. “Sometimes I feel that there is a need to devise a law which would ensure that a new law will be enacted only when 10 old and outdated laws are done away with,” Modi said, while calling for an across the board overhaul of government machinery. 
“A massive web of laws has been created. Give us strength so that we can end these laws every week. Laws should be simple, easy and should empower the common man,” he said. 

Veerappa Moily okays field trials of GM crops

NEW DELHI: Seed companies and agriculture research institutes can go ahead with scientific field trials of different transgenic varieties of GM crops which had got clearance from the government's regulatory body Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) in March last year. 
A day after agriculture minister Sharad Pawar spelt out the government's stand over the contentious issue while pitching for field trials, environment minister M Veerappa Moily on Thursday gave his go-ahead to the move. 
Moily said he had cleared the file as the GEAC's decision was not bound by the Supreme Court's moratorium (on field trials) order. 
The decision, which had been kept in abeyance by his predecessor Jayanthi Natarajan, will now allow companies and institutions to put more than 200 transgenic varieties of rice, wheat, maize, castor and cotton on field trials to check their suitability for commercial production. 
Moily emphasized that these companies (both government and private) and research institutions can, however, go for trial only after getting nod from respective state governments. 
"If a particular state government does not allow it, these entities will not be able to go for field trial," environment secretary V Rajagopalan said. 
It is learnt that some states like Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and Gujarat do not have any problem in allowing field trials. At present, government allows commercial production of only Bt cotton (transgenic variety of cotton). Though Bt brinjal had passed its field trial, it was not allowed to go for commercial production amid strong protests by civil society groups. 
The government has, meanwhile, called the next meeting of GEAC on March 21 to decide other pending applications. 
Though the GEAC in its last meeting on March 22 last year had given approval for field trials of these 200—odd varieties of food and non—food crops, the then environment minister had decided to keep it in abeyance until strict regulatory mechanism and bio safety protection regime were put in place in the country. 
Both anti— and pro—GM crop groups, meanwhile, crossed swords over Moily's move to reverse his predecessor's decision. Reacting over the move, AAP leader and senior Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan said the decision was a clear violation of the apex court's order. 
While the Coalition for a GM Free India and Greenpeace condemned the Moily's action as "unscientific, anti-people and reeking of vested interests", industry body Association of Biotech Led Enterprises—Agriculture Group (ABLE—AG) welcomed the removal of restrictions on previously approved field trials of genetically modified crops. 
"The writing on the wall is clear now. The UPA government is against the interest of the citizens, our farmers and the welfare of the nation. It is hand in glove with the multi—national GM seed industry that stands to gain immensely from the numerous open field trials of GM crops," said Rajesh Krishnan, convener, Coalition for a GM Free India. 
Greenpeace was equally critical of Moily's decision. Its campaigner Neha Saigal said, "This proves that the government has turned a blind eye to the growing scientific evidence on the adverse impacts of GM crops and the massive opposition to GM crops from around the country. The government has clearly chosen corporate interests over the interests of the people." 
ABLE-AG executive director N Seetharama, on the other hand, lauded Moily's decision. He said, "At a time when agriculture is under severe stress and requires immediate infusion of technology and innovation, we can't afford to ignore biotechnology which has a proven track record of enhancing crop yields in a safe and sustainable way the world over."