US Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai said the India-US relationship is on an upward trajectory and the two sides should map out their economies to develop supply chains in complementary ways. In an interview with ET's Kirtika Suneja and Deepshikha Sikarwar, Tai, who was on a visit to India to attend the G20 trade ministers meeting, said the upcoming conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) will be the first of the 'reform ministerials'. Edited excerpts:

 

Where do you see India-US trade relations going from here, especially on friendshoring and getting US companies to invest in India?

Minister (Piyush) Goyal and I held our first trade policy forum (TPF) in November 2021. The TPF hadn't convened since 2017 and it had broken down then and there was not even a joint statement between the US and India. It's maybe a marker in terms of a relationship that has been marked by tremendous potential, but also as significant underperformance of that potential. The joint statement was 5-6 pages long and included references to discussions on topics that have traditionally been challenging between the US and India. So I considered that to be a significant win.

 

In January, we had our second TPF and made market access and some market relaxation commitments to each other. So that was taking the relationship forward another notch. A couple of weeks ago, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Washington for a state visit, we challenged ourselves to do even more and that's when we buried the hatchet on six of our seven outstanding WTO disputes.

 

So at this point, our trade relationship within the context of the larger relationship, is mirroring the dynamism and the upward trajectory that I see just over the course of a couple of days visiting Jaipur and Delhi (for G20). It is an incredible sense of optimism and forward-looking vantage point. We are challenging ourselves on what our next steps are going to be. Each one of these sets of outcomes creates a stair step forward and upwards. At this point, what we're able to accomplish is only limited by our own creativity and our own sense of what's possible.

 

On friendshoring, there is a lot in common that I see between President Biden's and PM Modi's vision on economic agendas for their countries. It is about investing in ourselves, empowering our people, workers, small businesses and small family farmers.

 

What about the WTO poultry dispute?

We are working on it. We continue to talk about it. If you know minister Goyal, you can imagine that he will be interested as I am, in completely clearing the slate, but we continue to have our technical teams working on it.

 

Did you take up with the minister the issue of India putting restrictions on import of personal computers, laptops and tablets?

Yes. We expressed our concerns around the substance but also in terms of the process.

 

Contrary to the process around the development of the Data Protection Act, where there was a lot of opportunity for stakeholders to engage, this one was quite sudden and I reflected to the minister that we see that with respect to the Data Act, there has been a tremendous sense of confidence in not just the outcome, but also the process... Should concerns arise in the next stages, there will be opportunity to engage and in the case of these import licensing requirements, (we) wanted minister Goyal to know that that engagement is really critical to partnership, but also to advancing a commercial environment that fosters the kind of confidence that businesses and investors like.

 

Did you get any kind of assurance?

We had a very good conversation and I was assured by Goyal's receptiveness to the points that I made and the desire to remain engaged.

 

What kind of outcomes can we expect from the G20 summit under India's presidency in the backdrop of geopolitical developments?

In terms of these past couple of years, these forums are institutions that are important. About geopolitical complexities, and I'll just call it out, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, many of our institutions that reflect a really important diversity of membership have had to contend with these challenges directly.

 

In terms of India's presidency, from what I've seen so far through the trade track, I have only the most positive reflections on the leadership that minister Goyal and his team have demonstrated in managing challenging circumstances very successfully.

 

Is there any indication from India that it now wants to join the trade pillar of the Indo Pacific Economic Framework? Are we looking at the November deadline?

It is so important for India to be a part of this framework. India is actively participating in pillars 2, 3 and 4. It is still engaged on pillar 1, although not an active participant. We're delighted to continue to engage with India on Pillar 1 and open to continuing to explore where and when India's interests might align with ours.

 

What outcomes does the US expect from WTO ministerial conference (MC13)?

My MC13 list is quite long. In 2017, it was a no outcome ministerial, and rough and quite demoralising for the WTO membership. So in 2022, we had a really robust package of outcomes, more than anyone expected. I want to give Goyal a lot of credit. His leadership of India's participation was a critical part to our success and we worked closely through that. For MC13, now that we've had two more years of relationship building, communication, and enhancing our understanding of each other, I'm even more bullish. We are keen for MC13 to be the first of our reform ministerials.

 

Do these reforms mean the dispute settlement body only, or something else too?

Well, it's the reform of the entire institution. The institution is almost 30 years old. Since 1995, so much has changed. A lot of us in all our different policy lanes are really focused on how to address the climate crisis-how to mitigate, adapt and change our economic incentives and turbocharge the innovation that's going to be required. The negotiations that happened through the 1980s that concluded in 1994 and 1995, the WTO agreements do not anticipate this movement- the digital transformation as well the need for more resilient supply chains. The membership has expanded and the members have themselves experienced significant economic changes.

 

The dispute settlement system undoubtedly is a piece of the reform agenda, but we also need to be looking at the other functions of the WTO. There is the negotiating function which at MC12, was a really important way to kick start to give us confidence that WTO members can still come together to agree to things. Also the daily monitoring and functioning of the WTO that happens in all the committees, that there are opportunities to reform the entire institution is so important.

 

We're not responsible stakeholders and members of this organisation if we are not constantly struggling to adapt it to be responsive to our needs as we and the global economy evolve.

 

Did you also discuss supply chain resilience with your Indian counterpart? Do you see India getting some part of investment?

One of the first things we need to do is map out our economies, where our strengths and needs are. We need to look at what are the policy tools we should deploy - the existing ones; do we need to adapt to new ones or take all tools and use them in new ways to create the incentives for the businesses that make the supply chain resilient. Given the size of India and the US, there could be interesting ways to explore the synergies and develop supply chains in complementary ways.

India is looking forward to tapping a $2 billion export opportunity by promoting millets – Ragi, Jowar and Bajra – and millet-based products, dubbed as a healthy and environment-friendly alternative to water-guzzling wheat and rice. Millets have been grown and consumed in the country for ages but they have faded into oblivion with the success of wheat and rice in recent decades.

 

India is the world’s millet capital as it accounts for more than 40 per cent of the world's production, and nearly 80 per cent of the millet production in Asia. There are three major millet varieties such as Ragi (Finger Millet), Jowar (Sorghum) and Bajra (Pearl Millet). In addition to these three major millets, several minor millets are also there such as Kutki (Little Millet), Kangni (Foxtail Millet), Barri (Proso Millet), Jhangora (Barnyard Millet) and Koden (Kodo Millet).

 

These millets offer several benefits over wheat and rice in terms of their nutritional value and also health benefits as they are good for maintaining low blood sugar levels, unlike wheat and rice. In addition to their nutritional and health benefits, millets are environment-friendly crops as they require little water and can withstand extreme weather and climatic conditions that is why they are known as environment-friendly and climate-resistant crops.

 

TR Kesavan, President of TAFE and Chairman of FICCI’s Agriculture Committee says millets are suited to diverse conditions, millets offer essential nutrients, manage diabetes, enhance food security, conserve biodiversity and symbolise cultural heritage. 'Millets present a potential crop for the future. It is high time to build the brand of India in millets, for they hold the potential to reshape our agricultural landscape,' Kesavan said.

 

Being the world’s largest producer of millet, India has been trying to boost its exports by taking advantage of the fact that the United Nations has declared the current year as the International Year of Millet (IoYM) which was supported by 72 countries in the world body. While India is the world’s largest producer, Africa remains the largest consumer of the millets with 40 per cent share in global consumption.

 

A $2 billion export opportunity

 

A knowledge paper jointly produced by the industry body FICCI and PwC projects that the global trade of millets will increase to nearly $14 billion in the next five years. In 2021, the world exported 509.73 tonnes of millets worth $198.66 million. The top exporters of millets were Ukraine ($45.71 million), the United States ($28.52 million), India ($27.42 million), the Russian Federation ($17.72 million) and France ($14.25 million).

 

In the same year, the world imported 553.71 tonnes of millets worth $256.86 million, with the top importers being Indonesia ($37.86 million), the European Union ($28.87 million), Germany ($16.55 million), Belgium ($13.80 million) and Canada ($13.51 million). The global market size of millets is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.6 percent (from 2023–2028) and reach $13.80 billion by 2028.

 

'As a leading producer of millets, India’s share in international trade is projected to grow significantly, representing a $2 billion opportunity,' said the FICCI-PwC knowledge paper. 'These century-old grains are now gaining prominence as a smart and sustainable choice of crops which provide food, feed, nutrition and fodder security to the nation,' said Jitendra Joshi, Director of Seeds sales, South Asia, Corteva Agriscience.

 

Joshi says being nutritionally superior to rice and wheat, high in dietary fibre and low in glycemic index, millets are all set to tackle the nutritional challenges and lifestyle problems at the consumers’ end.

 

Millet production in India

 

Indian farmers produced an average of 16.39 million tonnes of millets between 2017–18 and 2021–22, including 9.75 million tonnes of pearl millet, 4.54 million tonnes of sorghum, 1.74 million tonnes of finger millet and 0.37 million tonnes of minor millets. The average area under millet cultivation in the country has been 13.28 million ha, with 55 percent under pearl millet, 33 per cent under sorghum, 8 per cent under finger millet and 4 per cent under minor millet cultivation.

 

While the desert state of Rajasthan was the largest producer of millets in the country in 2021-22, it was followed by Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, which cumulatively have a more than 95 per cent production share.

 

80 startups in millet sector

 

Given the government’s push to promote India’s Shree Anna (millets), more than 80 startups have come forward to promote the production and export of millets in the last one and a half years.

 

The government is also mobilizing start-ups for export promotion of value-added products in the Ready to Eat (RTE) and Ready to Serve (RTS) category such as noodles, pasta, breakfast cereals mix, biscuits, cookies, snacks, sweets, among other things. As per the government’s millet promotion strategy in the global market, As per the government’s millet promotion strategy, major international retail supermarkets like Lulu group, Carrefour, Al Jazira, Al Maya, Walmart, and others would also be roped in to establish millet corner for branding and promotion of millets.

Food regulator FSSAI on Thursday said a central advisory committee has recommended that licenses to food business operators (FBOs) can be issued for up to five years instead of one year. At the 41st meeting of the Central Advisory Committee (CAC) held on Thursday at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh,

 

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) CEO G Kamala Vardhana Rao reviewed the status of sampling of food products across states/Union Territories (UTs).

 

He encouraged states/UTs to ensure compliance with the prescribed standards.

 

More than 50 officials, including Commissioners of Food Safety (CFS), representatives from states/UTs, senior officials from FSSAI and nodal ministries and members representing the food industry, consumers, agriculture, laboratories and research bodies actively participated in the meeting, FSSAI said in a statement.

 

'It was recommended by the CAC that the food business operators (FBOs) need not to go for annual renewal hereafter, the licenses can be issued for up to 5 years instead of one year on the option of the FBO. This was one of the major requests made by the food industry as a part of Ease of Doing Business,' the statement said.

 

He also apprised the participants about his meeting held with the Executive Officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) at Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh on August 23 on the establishment and strengthening of laboratories, training of food handlers and upgrading the overall canteen infrastructure into modern infrastructure under various Eat Right India initiatives.

 

This will help in testing key raw materials like ghee, milk, spices, etc. used in food preparation. This initiative will help TTD provide quality and wholesome food to more than 2.5 lakh pilgrims on a daily basis.

 

FSSAI will train the food handlers in hygiene protocols such as Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP).

 

Rao also encouraged the states/UTs to expedite the identification and implementation of 100 Healthy and Hygienic Food Streets across the country, with the assistance of the Government of India.

 

He stressed the importance of fortified rice for combating micronutrient deficiencies among children and pregnant women, for which awareness will be propagated in rural areas of states by FSSAI.

 

He asked states to make efforts to achieve the target of FoSTaC training of 25 lakh FBOs in the next 3 years.

The Centre imposed a 20 per cent export duty on parboiled rice with immediate effect to curb a surge in shipments since July 20 when it banned exports of (non-basmati) white rice.

 

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Finance late on Friday night, the duty will be in force till October 15. The Government will also soon notify a minimum export price (MEP) for basmati to ensure that other varieties of rice are not exported in the garb of the fragrant rice. 

 

 Though the Finance Ministry said the export duty comes into  immediate effect, exporters who have contracted before the notification was issued are allowed to ship their consignments at zero duty until October 15, traders said. The October 15 date is seen as the time by which the Union Government will have a fair idea of the kharif rice production. 

 

'The Food Corporation of India (FCI) will begin rice procurement for the central pool from October 1 and by October 15, it will have a fair idea based on the arrivals. After that, the Centre could even ban parboiled rice exports,' said a trading source, who did not wish to identify.

 

Trade analyst S Chandrasekaran said following the 20% duty will lead to inflation in rice, particularly in South-East Asia. Indian parboiled rice is currently quoted at $500 a tonne. 

 

'If the 20 per cent duty is taken into account, then Indian parboiled will cost $600. Thailand parboiled is priced at $615 a tonne. If the rupee depreciation is factored, then the gap will be $20 and an arbitrage still exists,' he said.  The Indian duty on parboiled rice will further push up rice prices further, particularly Thailand. Global rice prices are currently ruling at a 15-year high. 

 

The Centre’s curbs on rice exports are seen as part of measures to control inflation as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address. The new measures on export of rice, a key staple for the majority of the population, will ensure higher domestic availability, officials said.

 

The Committee of Secretaries, headed by the Cabinet Secretary, decided to impose the MEP on basmati rice on August 21, sources said. However, unlike other commodities in which the Director-General of Foreign Trade notifies the MEP, in case of basmati, the agri-export promotion body Apeda will implement it, the sources said.  Basmati rice export is allowed only after registration of a contract with Apeda which issues certificates to exporters allowing shipments.

 

Though overall acreage of paddy in the current kharif season is 4 per cent higher than year-ago, per data released by the Agriculture Ministry on August 25, the condition of crops in Southern States is in 'bad shape', experts said, pointing to deficient rainfall in many parts. Karnataka, for instance, has received 75 per cent below normal rain during August 1-25, officials said.

 

On the other hand, trade sources said the Centre’s current objective is to delay shipments, sources said.

India and the United Kingdom (UK) will review their proposed free trade agreement (FTA) at a ‘higher level’ after the 12th round of negotiations concludes by the end of the month, said the department of commerce, in a statement on Sunday.

 

The statement comes after commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal’s meeting with his British counterpart Kemi Badenoch in New Delhi on Saturday.

 

Badenoch was on a three-day visit to India from August 24, attending the G20 Trade Ministers Meeting in Jaipur first. This was followed by a visit to New Delhi for the B20 summit, along with meetings with Goyal and industrialists.

 

'While expressing satisfaction over the last 12 rounds of negotiations wherein several chapters have been finalised, both exuded confidence that the next round of negotiations will see similar success,' the department said.

 

'Both the chief negotiators (India and UK) apprised the ministers about the current state of play, issues outstanding for resolution and their continuous joint efforts to iron them out.

 

While appreciating efforts of both the chief negotiators (CNs), the ministers desired that the good pace of exchanges be continued with better understanding of each other’s aspirations and sensitivities,' it said.

 

On the sidelines of the G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial last week, both Badenoch and Goyal had said that the proposed FTA is in its final stages. Of the total 26 chapters in the proposed FTA, 19 have closed.

 

Another statement from the department of commerce said that Goyal also met Helena Budliger, state secretary and director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) in New Delhi. 

 

'During the meeting, minister Goyal and Budliger engaged in detailed discussions regarding the trade and investment ties between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries.

 

The talks encompassed a comprehensive review of the progress made in the ongoing negotiations for a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) between India and EFTA,' it said.

 

It added that the discussions emphasised on addressing key issues and concerns to create an agreement, which will benefit the citizens of both the regions. 

 

Meeting with USTR

On Saturday, Goyal also met United States Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai, who was also in India for the G20 Trade Ministerial.

 

During the meeting, Tai raised concerns related to India’s import licensing requirements for laptops, PCs and tablets, among others. 

 

'Ambassador Tai and minister Goyal agreed to explore this issue further and find a solution that addresses both the countries’ concerns,' USTR had said in a statement on Saturday.

The world recognises Africa’s immense potential in terms of its enormous natural resource endowments (energy, minerals and agriculture) and large population. . India has enjoyed strong relationship with many of the nations in Africa (there are now 54 countries) for centuries.

 

Africa-India trade is currently valued at about $90 billion, but the potential for growth is huge. In particular, trade in agricultural commodities has been on a strong footing for years. Indian entrepreneurs have made investments in some of the African countries, helping create jobs and incomes there. Yet, considering the potential for growth, the business opportunities are rather under-explored.

 

There are several common features and challenges Africa and India face. Ensuring food and nutrition security to their large populations is the primary issue. Global warming and climate change are proving to be a formidable challenge for both. There is enormous scope for collaboration in building resilience against climate change.

 

There are many common issues as far as agriculture is concerned, and these include smallholder cultivation, low level of input usage, low productivity, inadequate mechanisation and inefficient supply chain. Agricultural infrastructure too needs rapid modernisation and investment so as to build supply chain efficiency.

 

Talking specifically of agri-business, India has a strong bilateral trade in agricultural commodities with many of the African countries. The major commodities India exports to Africa include rice, sugar, meat, dairy products, confectionery and beverages. From Africa, India imports pulses, oilseeds, spices, coffee, cotton and raw cashew. India enjoys strong trade ties with Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Ivory Coast among others.

 

To meet the domestic shortfall in pulses, India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mozambique and Malawi for import of pigeon pea (tur/arhar). Interestingly, import from many of the African origins is allowed duty-free in India given their Least Developed Country (LDC) status. This helps promote trade and support Africa’s smallholders.

 

In a major development last year, India signed rupee payment agreements with as many as 18 countries around the world. Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Botswana figure in the list. As a result, invoicing and payment will be in rupees. The RBI issued a circular to that effect on July 11, 2022.

 

India has its own strengths in the agriculture sector and has made noteworthy progress in recent decades. Our farm R&D is arguably among the best in the world. Indian scientists’ domain expertise and skills can be utilised to strengthen African agriculture and related activities like livestock and fisheries.

 

Joint research in agricultural inputs — seeds, agrochemicals, fertiliser and water — to build higher levels of efficiency in input delivery and input utilisation is the need of the hour. Digitisation will help.

 

While two-way trade in agricultural commodities will continue, Africa and India can set up joint working groups to examine investment opportunities in processing and value addition. Investment in building agri-infrastructure — storage, logistics, electronic markets — is an area that provides opportunities.

 

Closer engagement between Africa and India will deliver benefits for stakeholders on both sides — growers, processors, consumers, traders and service providers.

 

Excerpts of keynote speech delivered by the author during the recently concluded Africa-India Agribusiness Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant on Monday stressed on the need to boost crop productivity through adoption of new cutting-edge technologies and said the farm sector should be made smart and adaptive to climate change. Kant was speaking at the G20 India Agri-tech Summit 2023 held here.

 

For higher economic growth of India, he said, 'India needs to grow in the agriculture sector. Its productivity must enhance rapidly. That would mean that we will require a lot of new cutting-edge technologies'.

 

Digitisation of agriculture, the technological transformation and innovation in the farm sector has been the central priority pushed in the Indian presidency in the GCO this year, he added.

 

'Transforming the agriculture sector into a data-driven, smart and adaptive to climate change is integral to the transformation of the agriculture sector,' Kant said, adding that this would entail focus on aspects like open access agricultural data platforms and recognising them as global public goods.

 

He also emphasised on the need to co-opt startups and responsible investments from the private and public sectors for enhancing the welfare of farmers, especially small and marginal farmers.

 

Kant stressed on ensuring that farmers adopt these technologies.

 

Agriculture working group had four priorities this year -- food security and nutrition; sustainable agriculture with a climate smart approach; inclusive agri value chains and food systems; and digitisation for agricultural transformation, he informed.

 

All these G20 priorities of India have been set up in the backdrop of addressing the global hunger and malnutrition for achieving SDG of zero hunger by leveraging technological advancement, Kant said.

 

He noted that technological advancement in agriculture is really the key. This would translate into providing farmers with real-time data and creating crop production forecast model.

 

G20 members, being the major agricultural producers, consumers and exporters, have come together to take a collective responsibility towards transitioning to a sustainable and resilient agricultural food system.

 

'Fundamentally, our ambition should be to transform agriculture, the agri-food sector into a very attractive and lucrative modern business enterprise. This needs to be done by keeping the farmers at the core of this digital revolution, by facilitating affordable access to an inclusive digital infrastructure and by exploring digital tools that cater to the needs of the agri sector,' Kant said.

 

The event saw participation from the agriculture industry, farmer associations and FPO, delegates from seven G20 nations, agri-tech startups, international delegates and investors, the statement said.

The dry El Nino weather has begun to cast its shadow on the global rice market in a big way with Myanmar now joining India in curbing white rice exports. 

 

Trade sources said Myanmar will begin curbing white rice exports from September 1. 'The curbs will continue for 45-60 days until the military junta ruling there is convinced that the cereal’s prices will stabilise,' the sources said.

 

Myanmar, which accounts for two million tonnes (mt) of white rice exports in the global market, has seen demand increase for its rice after India banned white rice exports on July 20. The curbs are seen as measures to control rising food prices and ensure domestic food security like India has done by banning white rice and wheat exports. 

 

Local prices double

The neighbouring country exported 0.32 mt of white rice between April and July this year, a significant rise historically. This resulted in domestic prices increasing, another reason for the junta to curb shipments. 

 

Local reports said domestic prices of common rice have more than doubled due to lower production in 2022 and difficulties in transportation. The Food and Agricultural Organisation, an arm of the UN, said Myanmar’s rice production declined by eight per cent in 2022.  

 

One of the reasons is that Myanmar’s key paddy-growing regions of Sagaing and Magway — the third and fifth largest producers — are witnessing armed conflicts. This has resulted in many farmers getting internally displaced and they have been unable to return to work on their paddy fields due to fear of landmines and the military troops in some areas. 

 

Indifferent July

According to the Asian Food Security Information System — a project of ASEAN, China, Japan and Korea — planting of wet season rice has been slower this year due to less availability of rainfall and irrigation water — a fallout of the El Nino impact. 

 

In July, Myanmar experienced irregular rainfall and rising temperatures. 'It may impact the planting work of the wet season rice,' it said.  

 

Myanmar will fulfill its export obligations and not bar parboiled rice exports, but the curbs will likely heat up the global market further. 'Parboiled rice will be under pressure further in view of Myanmar’s curbs since world-over white rice shipments are under curbs,' said S Chandrasekaran, a Delhi-based trade analyst.

 

India’s ban on rice exports, including last year’s prohibition on broken rice shipments, havs resulted in the cereal’s prices soaring to a 15-year high. However, VR Vidya Sagar, Director, Bulk Logix, said parboiled prices for exports have begun to drop.  

 

Output may rise

'Currently, prices are around $490 a tonne free-on-board (f.o.b),' he said. In comparison, Thailand, India’s main rival in the market, is quoting between $612 and $615 f.o.b. Pakistan, another competitor, has run out of stocks. 

 

Data from Thai Rice Exporters Association show that barring Indian parboiled rice, almost all rice varieties are quoting above $600 a tonne.

 

According to the FAO’s Agricultural Market Information System, rice production will likely be 523.7 mt in 2023-24 (September-August) against 517.6 mt in 2022-23.

 

India banned white rice exports to face any supply shortage in view of rains damaging paddy crops in Punjab and Haryana, besides deficient rains affecting the sowing of paddy in Karnataka, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. But Ministry of Agriculture data show that the area under paddy has increased by four per cent during the current kharif season.

 

Experts are, however, divided on the prospects of production in view of delay in transplantation of paddy. 

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is contemplating setting up a state-of-the-art laboratory in Tirupati to ensure quality and healthy food is served to the devotees visiting Tirumala.

 

The idea was mooted at the FSSAI’s 41st central advisory committee meeting held recently in Tirupati, where the authorities expressed willingness to establish a food quality testing lab in Tirupati, in view of the huge number of footfalls of nearly 50,000–70,000 on any given day.

 

According to FSSAI’s Chief Executive Officer G. Kamalavardhana Rao, steps will be taken to improve the quality of food and drinking water supply at Tirumala. Also, the management of the laddu-making unit and Anna Prasada Centre at Tirumala will be enhanced, in consultation with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

 

FSSAI has also come forward to train the managers and staff of hotels in Tirupati, in collaboration with the TTD, to provide healthy and quality food to the devotees.