India's Export Performance of Animal Products under New Food Safety Law Regime

Abstract

The study attempts an appraisal of the effectiveness of India’s new food safety regulation on animal products exported to various countries.  The study is based on data (quantity) of exports of different animal products exported from India collected for period 2005-06 to 2016-17. The mean of and variability in exports (quantity) of animal products were compared for pre and post FSS regime to assess the magnitude and stability in the exports of animal products after implementation of India’s new food safety law. The result shows that most of the animal products, except sheep and goat meat, animal casing and caseins, exported from India were stable as CV values significantly decreased during Post-FSS Regime as compared to Pre-FSS Regime. It indicates that new food safety law (FSS Act) of India addressed the food safety issues in the sequence of the global demand. The country-wise quantity of export of animal products was analyzed and found that natural honey, caseins, buffalo meat and poultry products were main animal products exported to the USA as well as EU except for buffalo meat, as indicated higher mean value.  Similarly, most of the animal products exported to the USA were higher in post-FSS regime in comparison to the pre-FSS regime as a significant increase in the mean value of said products during the post-FSS regime. However, the export quantity of sheep & goat meat, dairy products, caseins exported to USA decrease drastically in the post-FSS regime. Contrary, quantities of all animal products exported from India to EU were decreased in the post-FSS regime. Further, import procedure/ border check in the developed countries have made differences and restricts the import of animal products exported from India in its geographical boundaries. The shipments refusal of most of the agricultural commodities including animal products exported from India were increased in post FSS regime. The study found that imposing new food safety standards by India tend to have a positive impact on the export of animal products but food safety standard still a trade barrier for developing countries like India because of insufficiency of harmonized food safety law at a domestic level across the articles.