The Ministry of Commerce has notified a ban on the imports of short-life edible products to narrow down the widening trade deficit.
According to the notification, only those goods can be imported that have at least 66 percent of their shelf-life remaining. The ministry also made a few amendments to the Import Policy Order 2016.
Earlier, edible goods having 50 percent of the shelf life were allowed to be imported.
Other than banning short-life food items, the government has also introduced new labeling requirements for the import of the said items.
ALSO READ
Customs Seeks Foreign Ministry’s Help in Identifying Illegal Luxury Car Imports
The notification states, “The ingredients and details (e.g. nutritional facts, usage instructions etc.) of the food products shall be printed in Urdu and English languages on the consumer packaging.”
It further stated that consumer packaging will bear the logo of a Halal certification body. Moreover, the Halal logo and the ingredients details must not be in the form of overprinting, stamp, sticker, or scratched labeling.
This step is to rule out any doubt or ambiguity regarding ingredients of the imported products in Urdu language to facilitate the consumers.
“The shipment shall be accompanied by a Halal Certification Body, accredited with an accrediting body, which is a member of International Halal Accreditation Forum or Standards Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries,” said the ministry.
Well Done!