Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs
To
All Pr. Chief Commissioners/Chief Commissioners of Customs,
All Pr. Chief Commissioners Central Taxes & Customs,
All Pr. Commissioners/Commissioners of Customs/Customs (Preventive)
All Pr. Commissioners/Commissioners Central Taxes & Customs,
Madam/Sir,
Subject: Requirement of Veterinary Certificate for Import of Milk and Milk Products into India-regarding
The undersigned is directed to refer to the letter of Director (Imports), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (enclosed) on the subject ibid.
2. Vide this letter it has been brought to the notice of the Board that compulsory veterinary certificate issued by Competent Authority of exporting country is not being insisted upon by field formations in consignments of dairy products (including edible lactose).
3. It is stated that this requirement has been mandated under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 and compliance of the same is to be ensured by field formations.
4. Any issues faced in implementation of this instruction maybe brought to the notice of the Board.
Enclosure: As above
Yours faithfully
Nishant Saurabh
OSD (Customs)
Fil No I-1765/FSSAI/imports/2018
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
(A Statutory Authority established under the Food Safety and Standards Act. 2006)
FDA Bhawan, Kolia Road. New Delhi-1 10002
Dated 15th May, 2020
T'o
Shri Vimal Kumar Srivastava
Joint Secretary (Customs)
156-B. North Block. Central Seett.
Department of Revenue.
Ministry of Finance. New Delhi
Subject: Requirement of Veterinary Certificate for Import of Milk and Milk Products into India-rrg.
Sir.
As you are aware that Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011 stales that "Meat producing animals except poultry shall not be fed with feed containing meat or bone meal including internal organs, blood meal and tissues of bovine or porcine origin materials except milk and milk products". Further, the use ol animal origin rennet is also not permitted in dairy products imported into India.
To ensure compliance of imported dairy products to FSSR. it has been mandated that consignments of dairy products imported into India shall be accompanied with veterinary certificate issued by Competent Authority of exporting country as per attached format (this requirement is already implemented by Deptt. of Animal 1 husbandry).
It may be noted above requirement is also applicable for import of edible lactose (HS Code: 17021 110). Recently, it has been brought to our notice that above requirement is not being insisted by customs for those consignments of edible lactose which are facilitated through green channel by RMS. This created differential treatment of facilitated and non facilitated consignments. Moreover, this requirement also needs to be implemented at 128 point of entries where Custom officials have been notified as Authorized Officer for food import clearance purpose.
In view of above, it is requested that necessary instructions may be issued to field formations of Customs regarding requirement of veterinary certificate for import of dairy products including edible lactose.
Dr. Amit Sharma
Director (Imports)
Encl: Veterinary Certificate for Import of Milk and Milk Products into India.
VETERINARY CERTIFICATE FOR IMPORT OF MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS INTO INDIA
1. GERNAL INFORMATION FOR IMPORTATION
No: .................. Date :................
5.1 Ministry:
5.2 Department
Type of Product:
Details of product:
Number of packages :
Identification marks:
Quantity :
II. General Conditions:
a) The source animals have never been fed with feeds produced from internal organs, blood meal and tissues of ruminant origin.
b) The milk product has not been manufactured using animal rennet.
III. Sanitary information
The undersigned official veterinarian certifies that the product described above satisfies the following requirement:-
1. The milk has been processed to make it fit for human consumption.
2. The milk had been processed to a temperature, which ensures destruction of organisms causing Tuberculosis. Listeriosis, Para tuberculosis, Q fever and Brucellosis.
3. The animals from which the milk has been derived were not exposed to Bovine Growth Hormones (BGH)/ Bovine Somatotropin Hormones (BST).
4. The Source animals were not subjected to estrogenic treatment in last 90 days.
5. The milk does not contain drug/ pesticides/ heavy metal residues above the limits prescribed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
6. Mlilk/miik products do not contain preformed bacterial toxins such as those produced by bacteria belonging to Staph, aureus, Bacillus cereus, dost, perfringes and Clost. botulinum and the level of mycotoxins should not be above the limits prescribed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
POST IMPORT REQUIREMENTS:
1. On arrival in India, the consignment and the documents shall be examined by the Regional Officer/ Quarantine Officer.
2. Samples shall be taken from the milk / milk products for examination.
3. In case the documents do not conform to the requirements and the product is not as per protocol, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India will take appropriate action at the cost of importing agency.