Rules and Regulation for Animal Food Import and Export

India has a clear policy adopted regarding the importation and exportation of pet food products to control for the quality of these products in circulation in the market as well as for export purposes. It means that in order to avoid legal repercussions, an Exporter/Importer must adhere to all and every regulation. This Blog provides information about the various regulatory measures and processes in India regarding import and export of Pet food products.

Table Of Content

Why follow Rules and Regulations?

Following rules and regulations is crucial for several reasons:

• Consumer Safety: Guarantees the safety of the pet food and thus eliminating any risks that may be affecting the health of the pets.
• Public Health: Prevents the risk of spreading diseases or anything that will harm the people of the society.
• Avoidance of Penalties: Failure to to follow rules and regulations may lead to penalties, legal consequences, or even seizer of products.
• Legal Compliance: Such regulations are strictly followed in order to avoid legal complications that may arise from disregarding the laws of the importing and exporting nations.

Standardization: Compliance with quality standards ensures that the pet food is of high quality and meets the set nutritional value laid down by the quality standards of various departments.

Animal Food Import Regulations in India  

Here are key regulations and requirements for importing animal food into India:

Sanitary Import Permit:

Any type of pet food product shall be permitted to be imported into India provided the same satisfy the following condition:

The country of export must be free from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and it is prohibited from including any ruminant materials except milk or milk by-products, protein-free tallow of ovine or caprine origin, ovine or caprine product or any product imported from the country that is free of TSE group of diseases.

Pre-Shipment Requirements:

Some of the documents that must go with all shipments include:

1. Sanitary Import Permit (SIP): Issued by the Government of India.
2. Animal Health Certificate: Provided by the official veterinarian of the exporting country, indicating the information concerning the farms where the source meat came from and the batch number of the product.
3. Declaration from the Manufacturer: The manufacturer must be able to trace the farms from which the source meat came from and must issue a certificate with batch number of the product in reference to the batch number printed at the back of each container using permanent ink.

Post-Shipment Requirements:

1. Quarantine Inspection: Upon arrival at the entry point the consignment shall be subjected to physical examination by the officer in charge, Animal Quarantine and Certification Services Station or any other veterinary officer as nominated by the Government of India.
2. Sampling and Testing: Pre-sampling for testing of risks in reference to diseases, pesticides and other dangers shall be conducted before the consignment is released out for sale.

Import Ports:

Pet food products must be imported to India through the land, seaports and airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai or such other places as may be notified by the Central Government from time to time in the Official Gazette.

Animal Food Export Regulations from India

Here are the key regulations for exporting animal food from India:

Veterinary Certificate: 

A veterinary certificate must be filled for each consignment before loading of Animal food in the foreign port of shipment and be attached thereto until the consignment reaches the border inspection post.

Declaration from the Manufacturer/Exporter: 

Exporter has to declare that he has kept records of the source and movement of the slaughter houses from where the meat has been procured and a certificate with batch number of the product supplied must be affixed by writing the same in ink on each container.

Consequences to not follow Rules and Regulation 

Consequences for non-compliance with laws and regulations governing the importation or exportation of pet food to India include monetary penalties along with imprisonment, and the cancellation of licenses. These penalties are implemented by different branches of government and the measures are provided for in specific statutes and ordinances.

Conclusion

India has a highly sensitive standard for pet food importation and exportation to protect consumer health, the general populace, and to avoid penalties and legal transgressions, standardization. The import measures are sanitary import permit, certificates on animal health status, manifest from the manufacturer, quarantine services, and sampling for diseases and pesticides. Some of the export regulations that have been established are; Veterinary certificate, manufacturer declaration, and last but not least a declaration from the manufacturer /exporter. Export requirements comprise of a veterinary certificate, a manufacturer declaration as well as a certificate bearing a batch number on any container provided for export. Sanctions that are available include fines, imprisonment, and cancellation of license if one fails to adhere to the compliance requirements. The sanction for failing to adhere to these regulations include penalties, imprisonment and cancellation of one’s license, perpetrated by different government departments.