FSA Board to consider proposals for the sale of raw or unpasteurised milk

The FSA Board is being asked to consider new proposals for the sale of raw, or unpasteurised, milk. These would include exploring the scope for wider access to raw milk, including limited sales from vending machines in shops, and changes to hygiene controls.

The proposals are set out in a board paper published today. They follow an extensive review of the current raw milk controls and a public consultation launched in January.
The review found that the current controls are managing the potential risks associated with drinking raw milk. There was also strong support from existing consumers and producers for continued, wider and controlled access to raw milk.
Selling raw milk from vending machines placed in shops is currently not allowed, although they can be placed on farm premises. Subject to the FSA Board's agreement, the FSA would begin discussing with raw milk producers the practicalities of vending machine sales in shops, and any additional controls that might be required to ensure that the risks are being managed.
Steve Wearne, Head of Policy at the Food Standards Agency, said:
'Throughout this review process we have sought to balance consumer protection with consumer choice. It is clear that the current raw milk regulations have worked well to control the risks from raw milk. We are not advising that these controls should be removed completely as they are necessary for continued consumer protection. However, we believe there is the opportunity for us to make changes which balance modest liberalisation of sales with controls on production that ensure continued consumer protection.'
The proposals cover England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Sale of raw milk is banned in Scotland.
The FSA launched a four-month consultation on the raw milk regulations in January. This included a raw milk stakeholder event held in Central London on 31st March. More than 140 people gathered to take part in the discussion and hear speakers including representatives of the FSA, raw milk producers and consumers, Dairy UK and scientists.

Indian Beverage Association sore on excise duty hike on aerated drinks

The Indian Beverage Association (IBA) was taken aback at the Centre’s 2014-15 Budget move to hike the excise duty on aerated drinks with added sugar by five per cent.

In a statement issued after the Budget was announced, IBA’s spokesperson said, “We are extremely shocked by the retrograde budget proposal of a five per cent hike in excise duty on aerated drinks with added sugar.”

“The soft drinks industry is already one of the highest-taxed categories in the country. The combined impact of Central value-added tax (CENVAT) and state VAT rates reaches 34 per cent in eight states in the country,” he added.

“Coming on top of the current 12 per cent rate, the additional five per cent duty increase would be tantamount to a 40 per cent increase in the central excise duty which would hit the industry hard, and cause a major slowdown at a time when demand growth for the industry has been sluggish,” the spokesperson stated.

“The carbonated soft drinks industry is a key segment of the food processing sector in India. It is a significant user of agri products and, with its high labour intensity, contributes significantly to agricultural growth and employment,” he pointed out.

“With a ratio of direct to indirect employment of 1:4, similar to that of the software industry, the industry’s developmental impact is not adequately appreciated,” the spokesperson added.

“Currently, the industry employs over 3,00,000 people, and if there is a conducive environment for growth the industry has the potential to grow at double-digit rates, and can contribute more than a million additional jobs over the next decade.,” he pointed out.

It must also be understood that in a country where options of safe, convenient and hygienic beverages are rather limited, carbonated soft drinks play a very important role in meeting the hydration needs of people.

With this hike in excise duty, the industry will have no option but to increase the price of its products. An increase in price will also fuel the growth of beverage options from the spurious and unorganised sector which, on the one hand, poses significant risk to public health, and on the other, will take away tax revenue from the government.

IBA, in its statement, has urged the government to reverse this hike, as it will retard the progress of an industry which could have a significant positive impact on India’s development, particularly in the changed governance scenario in the country.

FSSAI will help food service sector in resolving licencing issues: CEO

Addressing National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) in New Delhi representatives recently, D K Samantaray, chief executive officer, Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) assured that the regulator would help the food service industry resolve all issues pertaining to licencing and registration, sampling and enforcement.

Emphasising on the larger participation of all stakeholders, he said that there was no place for Inspector Raj in the food sector, and the entire idea of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, was capacity-building, training and implementing it through participation.

Samantaray urged the stakeholders to help FSSAI in making the entire food chain, from farm to fork, secure. “The challenges are difficult, as the food does not merely contain viruses, but it now contains heavy metals, antibiotics and veterinary drugs as well, and therefore, the participation of primary producers (i.e. farmers) is also needed,” he added.

He also emphasised the need for back-end infrastructure like laboratory testing facilities for farmers that would educate and enable them to reduce the risk of overdose of chemicals during farming.

During the interaction, Samir Kuckreja, president, NRAI, said that the purposes of holding the interaction were to spread awareness about the Act and to discuss the challenges being faced by the industry in relation to the implementation of the various regulations under the Act.

He said, “The food service industry is a decent contributor to the public exchequer with an estimated contribution of Rs 11,500 crore towards taxes in 2013. This is projected to double by 2018 to nearly Rs 24,600 crore.”

“The industry successfully engaged with FSSAI and resolved many issues, including filing of returns, the list of documents to be submitted, checklists for inspectors, etc. NRAI has also taken up issues like the reduction of the appeal time to designated officers from 30 days to seven days,” Kuckreja added.

He said that he believed the new food safety laws were forward-thinking and ambitious, while the regulations should be aimed at helping the industry and not be overbearing in procedural issues which detract from core business.