June 08, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 22, 1428

ISLAMABAD, June 7: The government has decided to take strict action against ghee and cooking oil manufacturers for not sticking to the standards of quality, packing, quantity, material and marking after receiving complaints from consumers countrywide. The Ministry of Industries and Production here on Thursday decided to start countrywide quality checking of ghee and cooking oil products from June 16.

The manufacturers have been given the June 15 deadline to mend their ways.

Sources told Dawn that such an action was supposed to be taken in November last, but the Ministry of Industries and Production had to shelve the plan due to unknown reasons.

They said now the government has responded to the complaints of consumers at a time when the ghee/oil manufacturers have hinted towards further increase in their prices just days ahead of the next year’s federal budget, likely to be announced on June 9.

Such a move by manufacturers could embarrass the government which is trying to bring down food inflation before announcing the new budget.

“We are not introducing any new standards. But, we want the manufacturers to abide by the already set rules of the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority [PSQCA],” a joint secretary of the Ministry of Production, Tariq Bajwa, told Dawn.He said the ministry had decided to resort to strict measures after receiving complaints from masses and after observing that some cooking oil and ghee manufacturers were not conforming to the country’s set quality standards.

These non-conformities are resulting in confusion and quality concern among the general public. It is also against the National Quality Policy of the government, he added.

“We have also sent notices to the Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturer Association [PVMA] and have told them to abide by the quality standards,” Mr Bajwa observed.

The manufacturers have to observe the PSQCA standards which cover the requirements for flexible pouches made of thermoplastic films or their combinations with other flexible materials used for retail packing of Banapsti, ghee, cooking oil and edible oils, the net quantities of 100g, 200g, 500g and 1kg and net quantities of cooking oil/ edible oils included 100 ml, 200ml, 500ml and 1 litre.

The authority has also specified the requirement of 16kg, 10kg, 5kg, 4.5 kg, 2.5 kg 1kg, (or litre) round and square tins used for packing of ghee, Banaspati, cooking oil and edible oils, including bakery shortening.

It also prescribes the general requirements and methods of sampling and test for Banaspati and cooking oil. But all, or most of such standards are not being implemented by a majority of the manufacturers and the Ministry of Industries now wants to make these manufacturers abide by such rules.

Sources told Dawn that of the 400 ghee/oil manufacturing companies operating in Pakistan, 300 are running their businesses illegally and that these companies care very little for any standards whatsoever.

They said under the PSQCA standards, the minimum standard of blending soft and hard oil is 35 per cent and 65 per cent, respectively, which should be maintained imperatively.

Only the blending of edible oil as per the prescribed standards could enable consumers to have healthy brands. It could also encourage local production.