The Indian tea industry has received a 6-month extension from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). This extension allows tea manufacturing Food Business Operators (FBOs) and estates to continue using old pre-printed bulk tea packaging materials. The FSSAI granted the extension after receiving representations from various tea estates and the Indian Tea Association. This decision has brought relief to the Indian tea industry.
The FSSAI had previously allowed a three-month period for non-retail pre-printed bulk tea packages. However, due to the tea industry’s seasonality and off-season months of January and February, they have extended the permission for an additional six months.
The use of pre-printed packaging material for tea has been a point of contention for the tea industry, which has been grappling with low prices and high costs of production. Many tea estates and FBOs had requested for an extension, citing financial constraints and the need to use up their existing inventory of pre-printed packaging material.
With the latest decision by FSSAI, tea manufacturing FBOs and estates who had already been granted approval letters for the utilization of pre-printed packaging material for a period of three months may now use the packaging for an additional six months from the date of issuance of the approval letter.
The tea industry in India is a significant contributor to the country’s economy, providing employment opportunities to millions of people. India is the second-largest producer of tea in the world, with the tea sector being a major source of foreign exchange earnings. However, the industry has been facing several challenges, including low prices, high costs of production, and competition from other countries.
The decision by FSSAI has been met with widespread appreciation from the tea industry, with many stakeholders expressing their gratitude for the extension. The move is expected to benefit small tea growers and manufacturers who are facing financial constraints due to the ongoing pandemic.
With the extension of permission, the tea industry can now focus on enhancing its production and marketing efforts, which will help to increase the demand for Indian tea in the domestic and international markets. The industry can also take advantage of the current trend towards healthier and organic products, which can help to improve the value proposition of Indian tea.
Krishna Murari says
Thanks for information. Fssai did a positive approach by allowing the use of old printed packaging materials for 6 months.