Hyderabad: FBOs get extended time to renew their FSSAI licence

Hyderabad: The Food Business Operators (FBOs) in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh who have failed to renew their licences and registration due to the lockdown can do so after the normalcy is restored.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued directions to orders to this effect on Saturday under 16(5) of FSS Act, 2006, giving Standards Operating Procedure (SoP) for issuance of offline licences and registration in case of exceptional situations. The orders issued by FSSAI, Executive Director (Compliance Strategy), Dr Shobhit Jain, said that the orders were issued keeping in view of the shutdown of the internet in some areas of the country and also the imposition of restrictions by the district, State and Central authorities restricting the movement of people.

Accordingly, owners of FBO who want to renew licences for the registration of food businesses which have an expiry date of their existing FSSAI licence or registration during the said period of no availability of internet in the region have to apply for renewal of their existing licence or registration by submitting physical copy of their licence along with renewal application with prescribed details to the licencing and registration authorities. However, the offline renewals of licence and registration can be granted only for one year.

Regarding the situation where the restriction on movement is placed by the State, District authorities, the orders said that food business which has an expiry date of their existing FSSAI licence or registration shall be allowed to continue till the restoration of normalcy in the region. Or, they shall be allowed to act according to the orders issued by competent authorities or FSSAI, it said.

Further, for all the above FBOs allowed continuing the FSSAI to provide an extended window of 60 days to file renewal of their license, registration after the restoration of normalcy, including where internet services in the region were affected.

However, any FBO who fails to avail the opportunity to renew the licence and registration in the extended window given to them will have to apply afresh for the FSSAI license and registration.