Cattle feed makers get more time to adhere to BIS norms

CHENNAI: The Centre has extended the deadline for cattle feed manufacturers to comply with the standards prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) up to January 1, 2021. In July last year, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) fixed July 10 as the deadline for producing cattle feed in compliance with standards recommended by the national body.

The food regulator also ordered restraining of animal food manufacturers from importing feed from abroad which do not obtain BIS certification. In view of the lockdown, the last date for complying with regulations is extended, said FSSAI in an order issued to State health department.

Key concerns 
In October last year, a national level survey revealed the presence of Aflatoxin M1, a cancer causing content in milk samples from Tamil Nadu and a few other States. It is suspected that fungus infected cattle feed could be the source of carcinogens. 

Followed by this, citing the unregulated cattle feed market posing health risks, FSSAI ordered that commercial feeds and other feed materials provided for food producing animals (such as cattle and sheep) should comply with the relevant BIS standards. It also banned the import of feed that did not have a BIS certification mark. 

Cattle rearers fear price rise
The cattle are fed with paddy straw, fodder, and concentrate mixture. The concentrate feed is prepared using different varieties of cakes along with food grains, husk, minerals, and molasses from sugar mill companies.