The Hindu Business Line : Govt ban hits pet food supplies

Mumbai March 13 Cat and dog lovers may have got tax sops on food for their pets in the recent budget. But the immediate problem for pet owners, it seems, is to actually get their hands on some pet food stocks!

Pet food brands including Iams, Propac, Sportmix and Purina are flying off retail shelves and not getting replaced, as containers with pet food stocks have been stuck at the Mumbai and Chennai ports for about six months, an importer said.

This follows the Government's blanket ban on stocks coming from bird-flu-hit countries, he added.

Earlier last year, importers brought in products, as the Union Animal Husbandry Ministry directive targeted countries reporting high pathogenic cases. This was later extended to low pathogenic cases too.

In late 2006, the US reported low pathogenic cases of bird-flu and stocks coming from the US got blocked, the importer told Business Line.

Caught in this net are importers including Alliances International, Bharat International, Scientific Remedies and Purina Petcare, part of the Nestle group. The importers have explained to the Centre that pet food is processed at 70 degrees centigrade and does not pose a health hazard, said Ms Payal Bhatia of Alliances.

The importer takes a double hit, because of the value of stocks held up and the penalty he has to pay at the ports. With stocks stuck for six months, the importer pays penalty charges of Rs 8,000 per day, said an importer.

Mr Bijou Lulla of Alliance estimates that a container has stocks worth $20,000. Another importer said that C&F stocks over Rs 75 lakh were stuck at the ports. But these could be worth over Rs 2 crore after duties, transportation charges are factored in.

The product is perishable and has a shelf life of about 18 months, he said, hoping that the Centre would clear the air soon.

Related Stories:
Lower cess on pet foods

More Stories on : Animals & Livestock | Health | Policy | Exports & Imports

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Placement via online portal

Wheat bonus issue referred to Cabinet

Plains may see fair skies until March 20

Govt ban hits pet food supplies

Fund houses step up efforts to woo individuals with tax-saving products

Reliance terminates drilling pact with Aban

High attrition: Oil PSUs ask Hewitt for `benchmark study'

Ranbaxy bids for Merck's generic business

Coal India IPO likely this year

Havell's buys Sylvania's lighting biz for $300 m

Infosys mulls launching Finacle as service offering

Sensex's dubious distinction during meltdowns

Mobile money transfer hits regulatory hurdle