Lobbyists to enter food safety in India
Global food companies form lobby in India. So now they will have their own lobby. FSSAI doesnt seem to care much about consumers even now. Wonder what would happen once these lobbies enter India to WORK with them.
Below details of the news from today's papers.
The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), which is managed by France-headquartered international trade organization Consumer Goods Forum, has decided to establish an Indian arm.
“India will be the seventh Local Group of GFSI that we are aiming to formalize early next year,” said Mike Robach, chairman of the board of directors, GFSI.
The core team of the GFSI India wing, which will have 20-25 members to start with, will have representatives from most of the firms that constitute the Board of GFSI.
It will bring GFSI’s global practices to India and mobilize the local food industry, besides engaging with the regulator and other government authorities regarding food safety issues and practices followed by companies, said Robach. more
Below details of the news from today's papers.
The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), which is managed by France-headquartered international trade organization Consumer Goods Forum, has decided to establish an Indian arm.
“India will be the seventh Local Group of GFSI that we are aiming to formalize early next year,” said Mike Robach, chairman of the board of directors, GFSI.
The core team of the GFSI India wing, which will have 20-25 members to start with, will have representatives from most of the firms that constitute the Board of GFSI.
It will bring GFSI’s global practices to India and mobilize the local food industry, besides engaging with the regulator and other government authorities regarding food safety issues and practices followed by companies, said Robach. more
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Is there any specific reason to be afraid of their presence in our country? What kind of reputation they earned in other countries? In present scenario we can not keep ourselves aloof or untouched from globalisation and we have already recorded our presence there a long back. I presume, creating fear in our minds about the GFSI at this stage & without knowing their actual role being played in other nations would be too early and pre-matured. Let our government take adequate care to protect interests of the common man and the nation. more
Dec 12
It is a fact that FSSAI is unable to enforce Food Safety measures in India and the foreign countries to trying to capture the market. Who is to be blamed ??? more
Dec 08
The lobbyists presence in India has always been there, and their colours vary according to the type of business they specialise. At the time of World Trade Organisation coming to life way back in the Nineties, I remember how the lobbyists from developed countries were trying to register Intellectual Property Rights or register ownership of products like turmeric, and how the alert Indians objected and won. The likes of Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) are not new to us, and we in India can tackle them. Insofar as quality standards are concerned, the foreign lobbyists would try to impose their standards for the products they import from India, and, India to accept their standards of product quality and consumption. Like we are finding it difficult to accept Chinese products because of certain WTO stipulations, we will have the difficulties in not accepting products with GFSI quality standards. These lobbyists in India will be doing their best to educate Indian consumers on their quality standards which will be clashing with our current Indianisation of food and consumption pattern. All that we need presently is the alertness to stave off foreign influence. more
Dec 08
If FSSAI is unable to enforce Food Safety measures in India, it is a welcome move if any other agency is going to enforce the same, at least with Organised sector. FSSAI needs to learn lessons from GFSI and FDA. If FSSAI can enforce Food Safety norms properly, there is no need for GFSI to establish their operations in India. more
Dec 08
They are going to work with local regulatory agencies and governments to implement global food safety standards. They are not representing any particular food company, agency etc. Why is the concern? more
Dec 08
