Quarter of food imports in India illegal: US

[OhioChick]

Source: Zee News India

Washington, Dec 22: A quarter of consumer food products import in India is conducted illegally, adversely affecting legitimate importers in the country, according to a US government report.

"A significant quantity (25-30 per cent) of imported food enters India through illegal channels like smuggling and leakages from duty-free outlets and ships at docks," US Department of Agriculture said in a report published here.

Legitimate importers, who pay high import duties, face stiff competition from this illegal grey market, even though smuggling is gradually diminishing with trade liberalisation and declining tariffs, according to the report issued by the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FSA).

Most of the imported food products, including those coming from the US, are trans-shipped through regional trading hubs such as Dubai and Singapore, due to their liberal trade policies and efficient handling capabilities, it said.

The USDA-FSA report noted that the US firms are facing challenges in exporting food and beverages to India because of complicated and non-science based food laws, difficult custom clearance system and restrictive domestic marketing and distribution policy.


Read more: http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=414606&ssid=50&ssname=Economy&sid=BUS&sname=LATEST-BUSINESS-NEWS

[Deja Q]

1. India's piracy rate is over 70%.

That's not going to change much either.

Corporations want people to respect their laws, so why won't they work with the people who do - instead of those who don't?

[dipsydoodle]

2. You can't beat the blackmarket

when all you're earning is measured in buttons.

[Deja Q]

3. Tell that to the H1Bs studying IT... they're not here with guns pointed at their heads.

:shrug:

Last I've heard, India's economy is booming and far more of their people are out of poverty.

Pity that "globalization" offshoring has hurt more Americans in the process, and if somebody has thought of long-term repercussions, I'd hope they'd implement some changes before America loses dominance in the fields it created and is now doling out... we're only starting to see the results, some of which had been predicted.

[dipsydoodle]

4. They'd have a long way to go

to get their average income above $800 a year to lift "far more of their people are out of poverty"

Offshoring is happening because of their low wages - not despite them.

[ChromeFoundry]

7. Outsourcing to India losing charm

Outsourcing to India losing charm

Posted Tuesday , March 20, 2007 at 11:07
Updated Tuesday , March 20, 2007 at 11:17

New Delhi: India as a ‘plum outsourcing destination’ is losing its brand value thanks to deteriorating quality, substandard work, and increasing costs. According to a latest survey by global management consulting firm A T Kearney—the total compensation costs for office services employees in India, China, the Philippines, and other offshore hot-spots increased as much as 40 per cent in 2006.


Labour cost advantage associated with offshoring information technology services to countries like India, China and the Philippines, is declining says the survey.

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/outsourcing-jobs-to-india-loses-charm/36458-7.html

[htuttle]

5. I'm glad the USDA has the time and resources to inspect India's food supply

...wonder when they'll get around to inspecting ours?

[MetaTrope]

6. India could tell them their cattle have bovine spongiform encephalopathy

USDA will suddenly lose interest in inspections...

[aquart]

8. Nobody is inspecting beef from India.

You have a point to make...but you've picked the wrong thread.