The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India last month was mauled by the Supreme Court over its processes, forcing the body to scrap its previous system which was deeply unpopular within the food industry.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court upheld a 2014 judgement from the Bombay High Court, which had ruled in favour of Mumbai-based Vital Nutraceuticals and the Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association. They had claimed the FSSAI’s approval system, which demanded products already on sale had to re-apply for approval, was beyond the regulator's powers as mandated in the 2006 Food Safety and Standards Act.
"In the light of recent judgments of various courts relating to food safety, FSSAI has decided to engage legal assistance for the formulation of regulations on an urgent basis to govern product approvals, imports, and procedures of issuing guidelines and administrative instructions," the regulator said in a statement.
An official for the FSSAI said all stakeholders would be consulted following deep criticism of the previous system.
Solvay sets out to improve guar sustainability in Rajasthan
Solvay, the guar derivatives specialist, has embarked on a three-year project to teach and promote sustainable agricultural practices to 1,500 guar bean farmers across 10 villages in India's desert region of Bikaner in Rajasthan.
Grown mainly in India's semi-arid regions, guar is the main resource for many farming communities, though its production is volatile as it relies on monsoon rains.
Through its sustainable guar initiative, Solvay is seeking more continuous, high-yield production of the crop by working with farmers to improve their agricultural practices.
The initiative aims to help farmers improve the use of water and preserve the soil, while raising their incomes and supporting local communities, said Solvay’s Emmanuel Butstraen, its sponsor.
"Our approach will also reinforce the availability of bio-based guar for industries and allow them to promote their ambitious sustainability goals."
India is the world's top guar producer and accounts for around 80% of total production. As a drought-resistant crop, guar conserves water resources and replenishes soil nutrients through nitrogen fixation.
The seeds are processed to obtain guar gum, for which demand is on the rise across a range of industries.
Packaged foods and retailers will struggle to sustain growth
India’s consumer packaged goods and retail sectors may struggle to sustain high growth based solely on consumption-led demand in the wake of structural bottlenecks, according to a report by Ficci, a group that represents chambers of commerce.
With the overall consumer goods market slowing from 10.6% to 7.5%, packaged food is one of the segments being hit hardest. According to the Ficci report, consumer goods, along with retail, have been unable to take advantage of the country’s potential due to structural issues.
These include a paucity of proper infrastructure and complex regulatory frameworks, as well as widespread counterfeiting.
Meanwhile, the Indian retail sector is projected to reach Rs70tr (US$1.1tr) by 2020—up from Rs40tr in 2014.
Modern retail penetration is expected to reach 18% from the current 9.8% over the same period, driven by the increasing appeal of organised retail among shoppers.