New bill seeks to make iodisation must for imported edible salt

The industries ministry has drafted the Iodised Salt Rules 2023 with provision for allowing imports of both refined and unrefined salt on condition of iodisation.

This ministry had sought public opinion on regulations in this draft bill on January 18, read an official document issued in this regard.

According to the draft regulations, only iodised refined salt can be imported. Any imported refined salt would be confiscated if it is not iodised or packaged. Besides, unrefined salt can be imported with the purpose of iodising it before marketing.

A set of information regarding the imported refined edible salt has to be sent to the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) within 30 days of import.

The information must include the salt amount, type, date of import, purpose of import, and warehouse location for storage, as well as name and address of importer.

After testing the quality of the salt, the BSCIC will forward the information to customs authorities. The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) will also test the salt and provide a quality certificate, and then ask the customs authority for clearance. Both the BSCIC and BSTI will test the salt according to Bangladesh Standards (BDS).

However, the regulations regarding salt import would not override the existing import policy of the country, when and where applicable.

Iodised edible salt can only be imported in packets or sacks. Industrial salt can be imported in bulk, but they have to be contained in yellow sacks or packets and clearly labelled as industrial salt, the draft regulations state.

Packet must show detailed info

Edible salt manufacturers, refiners, and the entity who adds iodine to salt, can package and then sell, market, store, distribute or display iodised edible salt, given that they fulfil necessary conditions.

All information should be clearly and comprehensively written in Bangla using indelible ink or paint on each packet. The packet shall be transparent and of food-grade standard. If the packet is made of polyethene, its thickness shall be at least 75 micrometres.

The name of edible salt, and whether it is household/cooking salt or industrial salt, should be mentioned on the packaging. The package must contain a declaration about iodisation. The iodisation date and lot number should also be stated on the package.

Each packet should contain the weight of salt contained within it. Table salt should come in packets of 50gm, 100gm, and 200gm. Household or cooking salt should come in packets of 500gm, 1kg, 2kg, 5kg, and 10kg.

In the case of commercial edible salt packed in bulk, the maximum weight of the package should be 50kg.

The quality of these salts will be fixed based on recommendations of the relevant technical advisory committee and the National Salt Committee.

Iodised salt packets should have a maximum shelf life of two years for sales and distribution at the consumer level. Expired salt packets should be returned to the last vendor for re-iodisation. Iodised salt should be sold and distributed on a first-in, first-out basis.

Retailers and wholesalers cannot sell salt which is non-iodised and not packaged in the prescribed manner.