Local products need labels, Bafra
5 February 2010
Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority (Bafra) said it will soon make it compulsory for local commercial products to have labels either in Dzongkha or English.
Jambay Dorji from Bafra said that, to ensure consumer safety, local commercial products like cheese, butter, milk, snacks, and chilli powder should also have labels like imported foods. But many people are not aware of it. “We will first create awareness among the people, and then implement it,” he said.
According to Jambay, the local sellers are governed
by Food Act, Food Rules and Regulations, Livestock Act, and Livestock Rules and Regulations.
The Food Act of Bhutan 2005 states that selling food which has been adulterated and has no labels in accordance with the act or its rules and regulations is an offence.
Even as it is creating awareness on labels for local products, Bafra conducts on-the-spot tests to check the quality of local products without labels. Products like cheese, butter, milk, and chilli powder in the local market are reported to be mixed with other substances.
Jambay Dorji said Bafra conducts tests to determine adulteration of milk, chilli powder and butter. Tests requiring sophisticated equipment are referred to Yusipang and laboratories outside the country. According to him, tests are carried out randomly once or twice in a month.
However, Aum Karma, a vegetable vendor, who also sells local products like cheese, butter and milk, said Bafra officials had not come to check her products for sometime. “They came a long time back,” she said.
Ugyen, a shopkeeper, said labels are not of much use because people check the products thoroughly before buying.
By Tandin Pem
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Loading ...Zakar for Friday March 12 2010
27th Day of the 01st Month - Iron Male Tiger Year
Auspicious for: Propitiating gods and deities, conducting chagu-yanglen, entering new houses, handing and taking over anything, holding discussions, starting construction of houses, sowing seeds and planting flowers. But it is she-zha (unfavourable day) for people who are born in the year of Mouse and Pig.
Inauspicious for: Arranging marriage, paying grain debts and conducting lue-cho.
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unlike past, now the products are commercially demanding and step taken on labelling local products could be foundation and starting step on standardization of our regionally demanding commodities.
currently products are locally recognized and the fact time catches up with everyone our products might be sealed with a brand name and travel internationally. currently, things are subtle but in near future it may contribute to our sustainable growing economy particularly to agriculture sector. indeed industralization in food and diary products could grow up to multinational level than what it is today.
to add, inspite of rising demand in herbal products around globe ( 80% of world population depending on herbal drugs or products) they are lacking standardization which is making chemically produced products preferable.
bhutans pharmaceutical products too are behind standardization and with growing technical labours, its high time we implement the need.