With international retailers making a beeline to set up shop in India, the country is likely to emerge as leading food supplier and vendor for global labels.
Global Food Safety Initiative, a business-driven initiative for the improvement of food safety management systems, has said India can spruce up its export product basket once vendors follow GFSI’s global benchmarks.
This, they claim, can be achieved by adhering to strict safety and disclosure norms as is practise in matured markets.
“Selling food in international market is a challenge as US and European food retailers mandate their suppliers to comply with food safety and auditing systems. India is a major supplier of spices, fish and diary products, among others. Lot of other small and medium enterprises can join the supply chain business as retail evolves, provided they meet those standards,” Mike Robach, Vice-President, Corporate Food Safety and Regulatory Affairs, Cargill, and member, GFSI, said.
Observing that India is moving from a carbohydrate-based diet to more protein-oriented packaged food, Robach said domestic companies will also have to comply with international quality benchmarks of safety even for the domestic consumers.
India Focus Day
GFSI held a ‘India Focus Day’ in the Capital. Focus Days are regional events designed to expand the food safety network in the selected region and to share views about current food safety trends with fellow food safety experts.
GFSI said it has organised such initiatives in China, Chile, Brazil, Japan, Vietnam and the US, among others.
bindu.menon@thehindu.co.in