Demand to exempt sugar in jute bags from nutrition labelling

Sugar industry in the country has demanded that jute bag containing sugar must be exempted from the mandatory nutritional labelling (Notification GSR664E) rules, which will come into force on March 19, 2009.

In order to provide sustenance to millions of people engaged in the jute sector, the Centre had announced compulsory packaging of food grains and sugar in jute bags. However, jute bags would not be required for bulk packaging of more than 100 kg. Similarly, small consumer packs of 25 kg and below would be exempted from the decision as would be sugar fortified with vitamins and exportable commodities, it is learnt.

"Under the Sugar Packaging and Marking Order, sugar is to be packed in jute bags. On jute bags you can't print any information because it is only the stencil after the baggage is packed. It is really impossible even to give the name of the manufacturer leave alone all other detailed information. The industry gives just short address which is stencil," an official of Indian Sugar Mills Association, who did not wish to mention his name, told Food & Beverage News.

Demanding exemption of mandatory nutritional labelling declaration on jute bags he also said, "It is like in the case of cement, sugar also must be exempted, 50 kg and above cement has been exempted from declaration of detailed information. Otherwise, none of these information can be complied with because it cannot be printed on the jute bag and pre-printing is not possible because we don't know what will be the production. We cannot have so much of investment for pre printed bags. So, I think like cement, sugar also must get exemption".

It is also learnt that wholesale sugar packages so far have been exempted for label declaration.