Is it mandatory to take FSSAI License for food export units? – An Overview

In Today’s world, India involved in exporting many food products outside the country and its products sends to foreign market and countries. There are lots of food items in India that get exported from the country, and they need to obtain FSSAI License under the FSSAI and health ministry to send food items outside India. If you want to track all the exports, then you must obtain FSSAI License, and the FSSAI make sure that the companies get license must be high quality, suitable for health, and would not damage the people's health. The standards are set to protect the best interest of the people and to maintain health dignity outside India. Scroll down to check more information regarding the FSSAI Exporter License.

What are the essential points for the FSSAI License for Exporter?

Following are some essential points for FSSAI Exporter License for all the food exporters and all the food business operators must know:

1. The Central Authority issues FSSAI License for exporters.
2. The FSSAI License for exporters has two different types, such as Exporting traders and manufacturers of food products.
3. To obtain an FSSAI License for export, then it is necessary to states whether the applicant involved in export only or engaged in both the domestic and foreign market.
4. Import Export Code (IEC) is an essential requirement to obtain FSSAI Exporter License.
5. If the business units certified by the Ministry of Commerce as a 100% export unit, then you can apply for Food Exporter License.
6. It is mandatory to submit a quarterly and annual return for their Food Export business to FSSAI Central Authority.
7. It is the total responsibility of the Food Business operator to make sure that all the food items exported from India to foreign market are safe to consume and in compliance with the quality and labelling norms and all the regulations of the destination country.
8. All the Food Business Operators in India make sure that all the premises for which the FSSAI Exporter License must mention IEC certificate.
9. An exporter can apply for the FSSAI Central License for a period of one to five years and then apply for renewal of a license.
10. Any person or company like LLP, Private Limited Company or Partnership firms can apply for an FSSAI Exporter License.

What are the labelling requirements for Food Exports?

When you are exporting your food products to the international level, then you have to mention all the detailed information and contents list on the packaging of each food products to be acceptable in the global markets. Following are some required labels and content specifications required for exporting food items:

1. Detailed information and nutritional facts of each food items.
2. Brand name, company name, product name, etc.
3. Net weight and net quantity of the food product or item.
4. Code number.
5. Batch number.
6. According to the FSSAI Regulation, 2011 (For Labelling and Packaging), needs to be as per the labelling language and the product-specific labelling requirements.
7. List of all the ingredients used in the food items.
8. Date of packaging and manufacturing.
9. Country of origin for imported food.
10. Mention date of manufacturing and date of expiry on the food products.
11. Mentioned the vegetarian and non-vegetarian symbol on the food products.
12. Mention the food description.
13. Name and address of exporter in India.
14. Declaration about food additives.

Documents required for obtaining Food License for exporting food products

Following are some essential documents required at the time of obtaining Food License in India for exporting food products:

1. IEC Code (Import Export Code).
2. FSSAI License.
3. Product Approval Certificate.
4. Ministry of Agriculture Permit.
5. Ministry of Animal Husbandry Permit.
6. Narcotics Certificate.

Note: It is necessary to get the Import Export Code (IEC) for export because it required at the time of export activities and FSSAI License for Export. For IEC code, you can apply for the IEC registration online, and the code is issued by the DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade). It remains constant throughout the export activities.

What is the procedure to get FSSAI License for Food Exporters?

It is important to get an FSSAI License for the export of food products from FSSAI Authority. Below is the simple procedure to get the Import Export license for exporting food items from India to outside the country:

Step 1: Register your company as a legal entity such as LLP (Limited Liability Partnership), Private Company, Partnership, etc.).

Step 2: After registering your company, then get the IEC code issued by the DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade).

Step 3: After getting the Import Export Code (IEC), obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) about the food quality and compliances of regulations presented by the FSSAI Authority for food safety.

Step 4: Get approval for the food items or products.

Step 5: After getting approval, obtain an export license from the Central Licensing Authority.

Why is it necessary to get NOC for exporting food products?

Before exporting the food items or products outside the country, it is mandatory to obtain No Objection Certificate because it enables you to get an FSSAI License to export food items. If you don't have a NOC, then you cannot export the food items. To obtain NOC, you have to submit the following documents:

• Country of Origin Certificate.
• Import Export Code issued by the DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade)
• Entry bill.
• End-use declaration.
• FSSAI License.
• Apart from this, you may submit some additional documents (depends on individual import items).

You need to apply for NOC and pay the fees for the testing of all the food item samples and clarifies all the questions that are raised by the Authority Officers and the inspection team at the time of testing the food samples. To get NOC (No Objection Certificate), you have to fulfil all the requirements from the FSSAI Registration Authority such as:

1. All the food samples should be free from any visible insects and fungal infestation.
2. Compliance with the FSSAI (Packaging and Labeling) Regulations, 2011 and the product specific labelling requirements.
3. The food item should have a good shelf life at the time of clearance.

Once you fulfil all the requirements, then you can get a NOC which will help you in getting the FSSAI License to export the food items outside the country.

Conclusion

We discuss above that anyone involves in the export of food products outside India must get the FSSAI Exporter License from the FSSAI Authority. One can apply for IEC, and the code will be allotted by the DGFT and continues the export process. If you have any queries related to food license in India, then contact Swarit Advisors, and you can also visit the website of Swarit Advisors.