Food certification firm set up $ 1.3 million initiative
An MoU was signed between Ind-Expo Certification Ltd and Sri Lanka
Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) to launch a food certification
firm.
The $ 1.33m initiative was inaugurated by Minister of Industry and
Commerce, Rishad Bathiudeen recently.
Ind-Expo Certification Ltd is a non-profit private firm initiated for
food certification. Ind-Expo will supervise local food quality using
standards administered by the Chartered Institute of Environment Health
(CIEH) of UK. The UNIDO Colombo office’s venture is under the auspices
of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce with a $ 1.33 m funding from
the Norwegian government through UNIDO.
“The non-profit firm is a collaborative effort between Ceylon
National Chamber of Industries (CNCI) and the National Chamber of
Exporters (NCE) supported by UNIDO under my Ministry’s auspices” he
added. The Norwegian funded, UNIDO facilitated project aims promoting
food safety within the chain of tourist hotels in Sri Lanka, and the
non-profit firm Ind-Expo Certification Ltd, jointly with Sri Lanka
Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) will implement the food safety
inspection and grading system to assure food safety for customers.
Ind-Expo Certification Limited is a non profit, public certification
and training organisation established by the Ceylon National Chamber of
Industries (CNCI) and the National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) of Sri
Lanka as it’s partners. It is supported by the UNIDO under it’s project
– “Strengthening the International Certification Capacity in Sri
Lanka”(Integrated Industrial Development Support Program Phase 11) with
the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Ind-expo also
operates a “Crowns Scheme for Food Hygiene” where food outlets,
restaurants and hotels are assessed for hygienic conditions and awarded
'Crowns' depending on their hygienic conditions.
The aim of this program is to safeguard local consumers and also to
facilitate the export market.
This program has been developed on par with similar programs in
operation in developed countries and first implementation was in the
Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area with the support of the Health
Department of the CMC.
This will be extended to the Kotte Municipal and Dehiwela-Mt. Lavinia
Municipal Council areas in the near future.
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