Food importers granted breather

ISLAMABAD: The government, after amending different clauses of SRO 237(1), has given importers until July 1, 2019 to implement the directives regarding the language of the labeling information on imported food items, a statement said on Tuesday.

Ministry of Commerce & Textile in an amended import policy had made it compulsory on the importers that the consumer packaging of the imported food items should have label printed both in Urdu & English languages giving details of the product including nutritional fact, usage instructions etc.

The newly issued SRO 438(1) says the status of implementation on the aforementioned instructions has been shelved until the start of the next fiscal. The government has also reduced the shelf-life limit from 66 percent to 50 percent.

Welcoming the move, Anjum Nisar, chairman Pakistan FMCG Importers Association, in a statement said the government had better declared the old SRO 237 (1) null and void.

Nisar also urged the government to help mitigate traders’ losses by waiving demurrage, detention, port, and increased shipping line charges.