In order to boost exports, Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) is planning to come out with uniform standards for packaging for food sector particularly with regard to fruits and vegetables, as directed by ministry of commerce and industry, soon. It is in the process of formulating the new standards.
Speaking to FnB News, Dr N C Saha, director, IIP, explains, “In a recent meeting with exporters, it was concluded that there is a need to have a standardisation on packaging of food products which will bring about rationalisation in terms of costs that can be offered uniformly with the setting of uniform standards in packaging.”
He said that once finalised, the standards would be submitted to the commerce ministry for implementation adding that the institute had conducted several meetings with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), as exports of food products were guided by them.
Confirming the news, Dr Sudhanshu, deputy general manager, regional, head-western, APEDA, states, "It is true that IIP is taking up the initiative and we have also given certain technical suggestions to help setting up those uniform standards of packaging recently."
Sudhanshu said that the standards were likely to come out next month and the apex body had decided to give financial aid at the cost of Rs 5 lakh per annum to exporters who followed the standards, after their implementation in the country.
This has been initiated based on the project report on packaging of fresh fruits and vegetables for exports submitted by the IIP to APEDA in 2005, according to which it stated that fresh horticultural produce had limited shelf-life ranging from a few hours to few weeks at ambient conditions. Packaging is required not only for food preservation and protection, but also for safe transportation of products during storage and handling. Increasing exports and stringent export market needs have also influenced the packaging trend and for this IIP has undertaken this project on behalf of APEDA to prepare existing packaging standards for fresh fruits and vegetables on the basis of scientific criteria and internationally accepted norms.
The project had been undertaken with a number of objectives such as
study and analysis of the currently adopted consumer and bulk packaging systems for export of selected varieties of fruits and vegetables; data on the present packaging systems would be collected by discussions with the exporters (Mumbai-based) and officials of APEDA.
To suggest improvements/modifications in the present packaging systems.
and to develop suitable consumer packages (any two capacities) for selected fruits and vegetables taking into consideration the shelf-life of the produce.
Not only this, it was then taken to prepare around three to four alternative prototypes and conduct shelf-life of the produce, based on the results of the studies and to recommend suitable alternates or systems.
Further, the project aimed to develop three to four functional packages for bulk distribution of selected varieties of fresh fruits for exports and discussed the alternate consumer and bulk packaging systems with officials of APEDA and exporters before finalisation.
