KATHMANDU, April 5: Nepal no longer needs to send export items to India for testing after the Indian government agreed to accept tests carried out in Nepal, according to an announcement from the Indian Embassy.
India has officially recognized the certificates issued by Nepal's National Food and Feed Reference Laboratory under the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC). With this decision, exporters no longer need to test food products in India before shipment, said Sanjeev Kumar Karn, Director General of the DFTQC.
Indian officials granted this approval after they evaluated Nepal's food technology laboratory and confirmed it met international standards. "This is a major achievement for Nepal in the field of food safety," said Sanjeev Kumar Karn. "Exporters can benefit greatly from this recognition."
The food technology laboratory previously tested food items against 284 parameters but has now increased that number to 630. After the DFTQC submitted an application, a team from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) visited Nepal and conducted the assessment. Exporters have welcomed India's approval.
Eating junk food is bad for health!
Earlier, exporters had to send product samples to laboratories in Lucknow, Kolkata, or New Delhi, and could export only after receiving the reports. This process was both costly and time-consuming. With this new recognition, exporters stand to gain the most.
Exporters can now more easily ship products such as juice, jam, jelly, pickles, sugar-based items, ginger, fruits, vegetables, and instant noodles, as Indian authorities have recognized the lab tests conducted in Nepal for these goods.
Nepal no longer needs to send food items to India for testing prior to export. “This is a major achievement for Nepal in the area of food safety,” said Sanjeev Kumar Karn, Director General of the DFTQC.
Indian customs will now accept certificates issued by Nepal’s food technology laboratory, removing previous obstacles in the export process. India had frequently blocked Nepali goods under the pretext of quality testing.
In mid-January, Nepal proposed at a commerce secretary-level meeting in Kathmandu that India recognize its food quality standards. India responded positively to the proposal.
Nepal's DFTQC and FSSAI agreed to strengthen cooperation on quality testing, certification, mutual recognition, and capacity building. Nepal faces its largest trade deficit with India.
In the first eight months of the current fiscal year, 2024/25, Nepal exported goods worth Rs 125 billion to India and imported goods worth Rs 688 billion. Officials believe this new recognition will help boost exports and reduce the trade deficit.
After upgrading its laboratory to meet international standards, the DFTQC has intensified testing of domestic products. It has also tightened food testing procedures for items sold in the local market.
To prevent the sale of substandard and harmful food items, the department has deployed mobile laboratories. It actively monitors markets and takes immediate legal action against vendors selling low-quality food.
Previously, officials collected samples and sent them to the central lab for testing, which delayed enforcement. Now, the DFTQC has started on-the-spot enforcement to take faster action.