The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has announced several relaxations in the Quality Control Order (QCO), 2024, for cookware, utensils, and cans used for foods and beverages.
Photo: Ministry of Commerce and Industry (IANS)
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has announced several relaxations in the Quality Control Order (QCO), 2024, for cookware, utensils, and cans used for foods and beverages.
This includes an exemption from the QCO for very small micro-enterprises, specifically those registered under the Udyam portal, where the investment in plant and machinery does not exceed Rs 25 lakh, and the turnover does not exceed Rs 2 crore.
The QCO for cookware, utensils, and cans for foods and beverages is one of DPIIT’s many initiatives to develop a quality ecosystem, attract investments, and foster entrepreneurial talent that places paramount importance on product quality.
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Besides, a six-month relaxation has been provided to clear legacy stock through a specific provision, along with an exemption for importing cans filled with powder, semi-solid, liquid, or gas.
An exemption for 200 units of cookware, utensils, and cans for food and beverages intended for research and development (R&D) by manufacturers of such goods and articles has also been introduced through a specific provision.
The Cookware and Utensils (Quality Control) Order, 2023, which was notified on 10th August 2023, contains five Indian Standards (IS).
The QCO was extended with an amendment to its name to ‘Cookware, Utensils, and Cans for Foods and Beverages (Quality Control) Order, 2024,’ which was notified on 15th March 2024 and became effective from 1st September 2024 for large and medium-scale manufacturers and foreign manufacturers.
DPIIT has extended the date of implementation of the said QCO through an e-Gazette notification dated 14th October 2024, after holding consultations with industry associations to address issues faced during its implementation, and has also introduced certain relaxations.
The QCO will now be implemented from 1st April 2025. For small enterprises, it will be effective on 1st July 2025, and for micro-enterprises, it will be effective on 1st October 2025.
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