TNFMAL calls for changes in FSSAI norms to ensure quality checks at source stage
The association pointed out how export shipments of masala products were rejected due to the excess residue content found.
Representative image
MADURAI: The city-based Tamil Nadu Foodgrains Merchants Association limited (TNFMAL) has sought the intervention of the Union government to make amendments in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, enabling quality check of agricultural produce at the source stage, which would help in clearing export norms and ensure consumers get safe food products.
The association pointed out how export shipments of masala products were rejected due to the excess residue content found. To change this situation, TNFMAL president Velshankar said the Agriculture department should work in tandem with FSSAI and Spices Board to collect samples of all the agricultural produce cultivated, test them and based on the test reports. They should review and clear the quality of agri produce, he argued.
The fact that the quality of water, soil and climatic conditions differ from place to place, effectively changing quality standards of agricultural produce, should also be taken into consideration, he said. Fixing a quality standard for an agricultural produce for the whole country could not be accepted and it should be dynamic, he added. Any agricultural produce cultivated from the fields irrigated with the aid of the Ganges would differ from the quality standard of the same agricultural produce cultivated from the rain-fed regions of Ramanathapuram and Sivagangai in Tamil Nadu, he said. So, he bats for a State-wise quality standards of the agricultural produce should be established.
The Agriculture department authorities should conduct programmes to raise awareness among farmers on the quantity and quality of fertilizers and pesticides to be used, he urged.
