US FDA has barred 11,664 Indian products since Jan 2011

The US Food and Drugs Administration has refused entry to 11,664 Indian products, including drugs, into the American market between January 2011 and February 2016, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

"According to refusal report data available on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website, 11,664 refusals of Indian products were recorded from January 2011 to February 2016," Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman said in written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

The products from India that were denied entry into the US included medicine, bakery products, fried snacks, spices, basmati rice, fisheries and herbals, she added.

Dietary supplements, hair dyes and colours were also part of the no-entry list.

"The reason given for the refusal varies from problems in branding to packaging, labelling and adulteration," the minister said.

Elaborating on the steps taken by the government to improve standards and quality to international levels, the minister said: "The steps taken by the government include tightening labelling rules and making it mandatory for companies to clearly mention the dates of manufacturing."

Other steps include improving pre-export inspection, greater emphasis on standards through sensitisation of exporters for compliance of regulatory issues through export promotion agencies and also taking up the issue at bilateral trade forums wherever possible, Sitharaman said.