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Local vendors will need FDA license soon

The FDA has earlier raised the issue of safety in the local food and meat market with the State Steering Committee

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In order to make sure that food from the local market is hygienic, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra will soon be issuing a notice to vendors in local markets to obtain a food safety license from the authority. According to the authority, the food safety license is compulsory for shopkeepers and food manufacturers.

The FDA has earlier raised the issue of safety in the local food and meat market with the State Steering Committee. As per the authority, food safety in local street markets such as fruits and vegetable markets, fish markets, chicken and meat markets, public canteens is important for the consumer's health.

FDA Commissioner, Dr Pallavi Darade, said, "A huge portion of the food business is yet to register with FDA. Everybody who is dealing with food needs to have registration or license with us. Food sellers who have a turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh need to have a compulsory food license. If the turnover is less than Rs 12 lakh, they need to register with us since it is mandatory as per the Act."

FDA will be issuing notices for registration and licenses to fruit, vegetable, coconut water vendor, egg, chicken, meat and fish sellers, panipuri seller, soda, wine and beer shops, canteens in school, colleges and other public places, hotels, and restaurants to name a few.

So far, over one lakh local market shopkeepers and vendors have a food safety registration or license.

Speaking about the implementation of food safety license in local markets, FDA Joint Commissioner (Food), Shailesh Adhav, said, "We will soon send notices to vendors and shopkeepers. If they don't have the registered license, we will be giving them over one to two weeks time to register. Even after that, if they fail to have a license, we will be taking strict action."

As per the section 31 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, if the food vendor does not register license, he can be punished for six months in jail and pay Rs 5 lakh in fine.

Manufacturers and distributors too are supposed to sell food products only to those who have registration or license. If they sell food products to vendors who are not registered, they can be fined up to Rs 2 lakh.

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