India: New fortified rice kernel norms delay milling in Punjab

India’s revised testing requirements for fortified rice kernels (FRK) have disrupted shelling operations in Punjab’s rice mills, highlighting tensions between regulatory oversight and industry capacity in the country’s largest rice processing state. A directive from the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution to subject every batch of FRK to stringent quality checks has slowed the supply of ministry-approved fortified kernels to millers, industry representatives said. The new regime mandates initial analysis at National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)-accredited facilities followed by secondary testing at central government laboratories in Delhi, extending the approval cycle to about 25 days to a month. Fortified rice kernels are micronutrient-enriched grains containing iron, folic acid and vitamin B-12, blended at 1% with rice milled under the Custom-Milled Rice (CMR) programme for distribution through the Public Distribution System (PDS) and ...