Chinese Chocolates A Strict No-No In India  Chocolates |
The import of chocolates and chocolate products from China has been banned in India. This information was given to the Lok Sabha by the Union Commerce Minister, Anand Sharma, on Monday.
India had already banned the import of milk and milk products from China in September 2008. Now the government has extended the ban to chocolate and chocolate products.
According to Sharma, the ban has been imposed after melamine was found in the dairy products that were imported from China. Melamine has been proved to be harmful for human health.
Sharma has assured Lok Sabha that international food standards were being strictly followed while importing food products from all countries. He added that import of toys has also been banned from China as they were found to contain lead in amounts that were harmful.
"Only those toys that meet international standards are being allowed to be imported to India," he said.
Sharma said that China had raised the issue of Indian restrictions on import of Chinese toys at the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade Committee in March and June this year. China had mentioned that these restrictions on import of Chinese toys were discriminatory and in breach of the WTO rules.
India had clarified that it had imposed a ban on Chinese toys on grounds of health and safety of children.
On concerns raised by members on Chinese mobile phones flooding Indian markets, Sharma said there is a ban on sale of handsets that do not have the International Mobile Equipment Identification (IMEI) number.
"Already, imports of mobile phones that do not have IMEI number have been banned," he said.
Sharma said the ban on mobiles that do not have the IMEI number was imposed on July 16 this year.
