Rotten food dealers to face prison in UAE

10 years ago | Posted in: Latest Politics News | 608 Views

Abu Dhabi: A new draft law is meant to ensure no contaminated, fake or rotten foods slip through the cracks and make it to the consumer marketplace, according to legislation presented to the Federal National Council for review and approval on Tuesday.

The bill suggests a jail term of up to three years and a Dh2 million fine for dealers in fake, harmful or rotten foods.

The legislation requires that food producers and importers register their products before starting any food operation in the UAE.

“No food, nor animal feed will be imported into the country unless it is approved by the Ministry of Environment and Water as per a national approval and registration system, to be announced and fully enforced when this law takes effect,” states the draft law.

The draft law, which requires approval of the House before final endorsement by the President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, states that all foods and animal feed produced or imported into the UAE must comply with UAE’s regulations and standards.

“Food consumption in the UAE had been growing at the rate of 12 per cent per year and; therefore, the demand for food staples has increased by 30 per cent,” according to the Ministry of Economy.

The ministry explained that one of the main reasons for the increasing demand “was the UAE’s steadily growing population”.

Ministry of foreign trade’s report revealed that over the past five years, the country’s foodstuff foreign trade was worth Dh295 billion, achieving a total growth of 84 per cent, with food imports constituting the largest share (Dh194 billion — 66 per cent) of the total amount.

The legislation, passed by the Cabinet last month, sets out key requirements to establish a system of effective regulatory and oversight services to ensure the protection of public health and protect consumers…. see more

source: Gulfnews

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