July 4, 2012

India lengthens ban on dairy import from China

Due to concerns of poor quality standards, India's ban on dairy imports from China has been extended till 2013.

This ban affects chocolates, chocolate products, candies, confectionary, and food preparations with milk or milk solids as an ingredient.

The ban was extended after the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) advised the government to restrict milk products from China. The earlier ban had ended on June 24.

India banned milk and milk products from China in September 2008 for the first time, after reports of deaths and illnesses in China due to the consumption of milk contaminated with melamine. The ban has been extended since then.

China has been struggling to control food safety violations, especially the milk industry, despite harsher punishments and new regulations to address the problem.