Unification of Food Standards by elimination of multiple standards at federation and provinces
Reform ID F002
Reform Description Same Food Standards Now Applicable to All Food Businesses Across Pakistan

Before: Manufacturers of food products had to get certified against multiple standards of different provinces and the federal government.
After: One single National standard for each product is now applicable in all jurisdictions.
Sector Food Processing
Beneficiaries All Food Sector Businesses (Including SMEs)
Jurisdiction/Location Federal and Provincial (Entire Pakistan)
Department Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority (PSQCA)

Punjab Food Authority

Sindh Food Authority

KP Food Authority

Baluchistan Food Authority
Date of Implementation 20-08-2021
Details  

 Difficulty

 ●      After devolution in 2011, food became a provincial subject. Overtime, the provincial food authorities developed their own food standards which resulted in multiple standard regimes.

●      Hence, compliance to different sets of standards across provinces required extra resources, including time, effort, and money to make themselves eligible to sell.

●      This was an extra burden for food manufacturers who wished to expand their operations across provincial borders.
 Analysis ●      Due to the constitutional provisions, provinces had independent jurisdiction over regulating food products. However, it was possible to harmonize the standards across the country.
Solution ●      The Federal and Provincial Governments discussed this difficulty of businesses in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) who decided that there should be single national standards throughout the country.

●      PSQCA and provincial food authorities collaborated to analyze different standards to select the most appropriate ones for common adoption.

●      Resultantly, 175 food standards have been notified which are being used by all authorities.
Reference Document

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