Traders want food grain out of APMC Act ambit

Traders' unions on Sunday demanded exclusion of food grain like wheat, rice, jowar and cereals from the ambit of the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act. Traders also sought the adoption of a single-point mechanism to charge cess on commodities in place of the current multiple cess system.

The demands were raised at a state-level meeting of traders conducted at the Poona Merchants' Chamber called to discuss various issues faced by traders. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Walchand Sancheti, president of the Poona Merchants' Chamber, said, "Prices of commodities go up owing to multiple cess system. When other states have already adopted a single-point cess system to restrict double taxation, the state government is persisting with the old system. The government has continued with multiple cess mechanism which is neither beneficial to the farmer nor to the consumer."

Sancheti said the government has already initiated steps to decontrol fruits and vegetables. "We want the government to exclude food grain from the APMC Act. Processed commodities such as rice, edible oil, powders, sugar, tea, flour, besan and dry fruits should be excluded," he said. He added that the traders will soon discuss the memorandum of demands with the government.

Vice-president of the Poona Merchants' Chamber, Praveen Chorbele, said that more than 125 traders from the state had participated in the meeting. He said, "Besides exclusion of food grain from the APMC Act, we will urge the government to introduce some changes in the Food Safety and Standards Act. We want the government to impose a reasonable fine under various provisions."

Meanwhile, traders have demanded abolition of the Local Body Tax (LBT). Chorbele said there has been considerable increase in the VAT. There is no need to impose LBT on commodities if the government has registered significant growth in VAT collection.

We will also urge the government to introduce some changes in the Food Safety and Standards Act. We want the government to impose a reasonable fine under various provisions

Adulterated food: samples collected

In a bid to ensure supply of unadulterated food products in the markets, Jammu and Kashmir officials continued a drive against food manufacturing companies and collected different samples from markets on Saturday. 

A food safety department inspection team led by assistant commissioner, Khurshid Ahmed Wani and food safety officers Inderjit Singh and Khalid Hussain during the market checking collected various samples of ghee and spice from different shopkeepers in South Kashmir’s Pulwom town. 

Singh said the team collected the samples of ‘Gowardhan Ghee’ and ‘Rath Vanaspati’. “Earlier we had collected the samples of Mirchi Powder manufactured by Rehmat Spices and the report about this product is awaited,” Singh said, adding: they will continue to inspect and raid those shops selling products which are unsafe for consumption. 

Sources said the food safety officers from different districts are collecting samples of food products. Such samples are being referred to reputed labs across India. 

Days ago, during a meeting divisional commissioner Kashmir, Shalinder Kumar, had directed the food safety department to start a drive against those companies and shopkeepers selling adulterated food products. 

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also instructed the department to be vigilant and active in curbing the menace. 

Customer Relations Officer of Kashmiri Brand Rehmat Spices saod apart from Pulwom the samples of their products were also collected from Anantnag, Ganderbal, Srinagar and other districts. “These are the instructions of Omar Abdullah and this is a routine matter. Every day food safety department’s designated official collect these samples and refer them to different labs to ascertain their purity and quality,” he said.

Karela Jamun contains ‘harmful’ chemicals

Srinagar, Jan 11: While the ‘negligent’ Food Analyst Kashmir and other officials of Drug and Food Organization continue to go scot-free in the food adulteration row, the worrying laboratory reports have found that ‘Karela and Jamun juice’ consumed by thousands in Kashmir contain too much of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)—potentially harmful substances when consumed on daily basis.

The reports prepared by the Referral Food Laboratory Kolkata also show presence of total plate count and

yeast and mold count higher than the prescribed limits.

Therefore, the samples have been declared unsafe for human consumption by the lab.

Ironically, the Food Analyst Kashmir had given clean chit to the product terming it safe for human consumption.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is an artificial taste enhancer considered as well-documented excitotoxin and neurotoxin by the neuroscientists because of its degenerative effects on the brain and nervous system Similarly, high yeast and mold count is Mycotoxin that can cause spoilage of the food and make it prone to high bacterial growth. It will be harmful for human consumption.

Official documents, in possession with Rising Kashmir, said that during routine inspection, samples of Karela and Jamun Juice, manufactured by Singh Food Haripur Hindua Derabassi Mohali, Punjab was lifted by Food Safety Officer.

It was sent to Public Analyst for analysis on August 27, 2013, who overlooked the harmful chemicals in the product and declared it misbranded only.

“The copy of the test report was sent to the Food Business under section 46 (4) of Food Safety and Standard Act (FSSA) 2006. The owner challenged the test and preferred to send second part to the referral lab Kolkata. The lab declared it unsafe for human consumption containing MSG, higher plate, yeast and mold counts on January 2, 2014,” they said.

The official reports have sought the prohibitory orders for imposing ban on sale/ distribution of the product. “Necessary sanction to prosecute the business unit under section (42) of FSSA 2006 may be granted.”

Registration for food business units

SRINAGAR:  To tackle the issue of food safety and quality control in the valley, the vigorous licensing has been put in place by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) which has made it mandatory for all the food business units to follow the FSSAI (Food Safety & Standards Authority of India) regulations or face action.
The deadline for the new registration or renewal of all the small as well as big food business operators has been set as February 4. The SMC will take action against the food units which do not have a proper updated licence to provide any food items to the consumers and will serve show-cause notices to them and action will be taken accordingly.
Health Officer Srinagar Municipal Corporation Dr Shafqat Khan said there will be penalties and prosecutions for the violators whether that is a manufacturer who sells any article of food himself or a petty retailer, hawker, itinerant vendor or temporary stall holder who distributes foods, restaurant owner or an hotelier. “After Feb 4, things will become bad for those who don’t follow the guidelines. We want to make a database of all the food businesses so that they can function under proper licensing. So far we have issues 5000 licenses till the end of the December and we have collected 31, 44, 900 license registration fees for the current financial year,” he said.
The SMC health officer said that they are doing regular awareness programs to educate the people and food business operators. “Most of the food units already have licensing but they have not renewed that is why we have but the Feb 4 as cut-off date and the violators won’t be allowed to function. This system would streamline all the business units and people doing the food business would be held accountable so that they no food adulteration takes place,” Dr Khan said, adding that one of the prime purposes of these conditions is to ensure that the food business operator maintains sanitary and hygienic standards.
Moving toward a healthier and more sustainable food system, the campaign has been set up the FSSAI throughout the country to create an information network so that the consumers are well acquainted regarding the information of the food that they consume to ensure the food safety. “We are happy that the renewal of the licensing has started. But, the process should be transparent and no such unit shall be allowed to function that doesn’t ensure the hygienic and nutritional food supplies,” said, Ghulam Ahmed Kawa, a food operator. “Those who compromise on the quality of the food creates a bad name for others who work genuinely, so government should take every step to main the food standards,’ he added.
As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the food units are required to register themselves and seek licences from the concerned implementing agencies, which checks various factors such as hygiene, material used for cooking and quality before giving its consent. The Act also aims to establish a single reference point for all matters relating to food safety and standards, by moving from multi- level, multi- departmental control to a single line of command.
Faiz Bhakshi, Kashmir Hotels and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF) said that the proper licensing of all the food units is a healthy step wherein every food manufacturer or retailer would be held accountable. He, however, expressed his fear over the implementation of the food safety act in the valley keeping in view the available infrastructure and other supportive environment. “There are no second thoughts that every consumer should be saved from the contaminated food and the sale and production of substandard food products should be stopped. But, at the same time the authorities should take the care of the overall hygiene of the system, the environment without any selective approaches,” he said. “The regulations of the act can’t be made specific alone to the suppliers and manufacturers,” the KHAROF president added.

Health Department holds camp for food vendors Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 11
Officials of the Health Department organised a camp at the Mal Godam Road, near Lajjawati Dharamshala, enabling the food business operators to submit forms for seeking registration and licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act of India (FSSAI) whose deadline expires on February 4.

Headed by District Health Officer Dr Raghubir Singh Randhawa, a team registered around 60 to 70 karyana merchants.

Dr Randhawa said owing to lohri season, the response had been lukewarm. The department will hold camp again after the festival season is over.

Meanwhile, similar camp will be held at Goniana on January 14.

‘Cheated’ by chilli exporter, Chinese trader turns to cops

GUNTUR: In what could be another jolt to the India's trade relations with China, a chilli importer from the neighbouring country has lodged a cheating complaint against a local trader with the Guntur police. The importer alleged that the merchant based in Guntur had caused him massive loss to his business and reputation.

According to information, Gi Yung Tai Yongkim came all the way from China and approached the Guntur police on Saturday. He is reported to have come to India after having failed to broker a compensation deal with the management of the firm which allegedly sent inferior quality stocks. Sources said an exporting firm owned by one Polineni Madhubabu of Pranya Condiments from Guntur had shipped about 30 tonnes of chilli to Yongkim following approaval of his samples in China.

However, the chillies imported by the firm of Kim did not match the samples and were rejected by the food safety authorities in his country. Shocked by the rejection of the stock, the Chinese trader demanded compensation from the Guntur merchant. He claimed that he had suffered a loss of Rs 4 crore through the transaction. In addition, he would be liable to face criminal charges in his country for getting such stocks imported from India. Kim alleged that the stocks sent by Madhubabu were not of the same quality as were the samples. However, the exporter refused the claims of the Chinese trader.

After Madhubabu's vehement refusal to pay compensation , Kim rushed to Guntur and lodged a complaint with Arundelpet police on Saturday . With the issue involving international trade agreements , police said that they would register a case after taking legal opinion. The complaint of Chinese trader has created ripples in the trade circles as AP is considered to be the biggest exporter of chilli to China during the current year. Merchants fear that such a complaint might hit the reputation of Indian merchants across the globe and derail the entire trade relations with the neighbour. In fact, China barred imports from India for several decades following export of inferior quality tobacco about three decades ago. China is not allowing tobacco imports from India even now. However, it imports some other agriculture products including chilli that too after following stringent norms. Inspector Alahari Srinivasa Rao confirmed the receipt of the complaint from Chinese merchant.