Question : Testing of Imported Food Consignment

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government draw samples from each imported food consignment for testing in their laboratories, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(b) whether the violation of the standard food safety norms in such testing have come to the notice of the Government during each of the last three years and the current year, if so, the details thereof along with the action taken/being taken by the Government against the perpetrators of such violations;

(c) whether the Government has received any representations from industry associations to do away with the said practice and switch over to the international norm of random and risk-based inspections, if so, the details thereof along with the action taken/being taken by the Government on such representations so far; and

(d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to reduce the time taken for clearance of imported food consignment and enhancing ease of doing business?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)
(a): As per current practice, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) draws samples from each imported food consignment. However, a decision has been taken by the Government and communicated to FSSAI vide Order dated 29.12.2015 to introduce risk based sampling of imported food consignments. Details of samples of imported food consignments are as under:-
Year Samples collected
2013-14 64505
2014-15 66065
2015-16 (31.01.16) 58920

(b): The details of samples that were rejected during 2013-14 to 2015-16 are as under:-
Year Samples rejected
( Visual inspection stage) Samples rejected
( by notified laboratories )
2013-14 1185 225
2014-15 864 537
2015-16
(31.01.16) 735 256

The imported food, which do not meet the regulatory requirements, is not permitted to enter the market and returned back to customs for disposal.

(c): As stated in reply to part (a) above, the Government has, with a view to facilitate speedier trade across borders, decided to introduce risk based sampling of import consignment, inter alia, covered under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and regulations thereunder.

(d): The steps taken for speedier clearance of imported food consignment include:
(i) single Window Clearance System which has been operationalised at Inland Container Depot (ICD), Tughlakabad, Patparganj, Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi; Kolkata (Sea port & Airport); Chennai (Sea port & Airport); and Mumbai (Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust & Airport);

(ii) pre-arrival Document System (PADS) has been operationalised on 02.02.2016 at IGI Airport, New Delhi, Kolkata (Sea port & Airport), Chennai (Sea port & Airport), Mumbai (Airport).


(iii) at ports where FSSAI officials are not posted as yet, customs officials have been authorized to draw samples from imported food consignments and send the same for testing.