Amid the COVID19 outbreak and the subsequent lockdown in the entire country, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) vide its notification dated April 11, 2020 has extended the timeline for submission of the Annual / half yearly returns.1
As per the clause 2.1.13 and conditions of the license of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and registration of Food business) Regulations, 2011, all Food Business Operators (FBOs) involved in the activity of manufacturing / processing including labelling/ relabeling / packing/ repacking and importing are required to submit their annual returns.
FSSAI extends deadline till July 31, 2020
FBO's involved in the manufacturing / processing of Milk and milk products are also required to submit their returns. However, considering the lockdown period, the submission of the annual returns and half yearly returns (October 2019- March 2020) has been extended till July 31, 2020.
The FBO's are required to send their returns in the requisite formats through email / physical copies to the concerned licensing authorities.
The aforementioned notification shall act as a relief for both small scale and large scale FBO's and also protect them to safeguard their licenses. However, the FBO's would still be required to submit the annual returns within the extended timeline and violation of the same may attract prescribed penalty.
Footnote
Originally published April 14, 2020
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