Dear Readers,
I saw a few posts on some other forums stating that sale of raw untreated milk is illegal in India.
Is it true?
If yes,
-Then how all the milkmen are selling raw milk all over india?
No. There is no such law. The packaged milk is always pasturised to increase shelf life.
Hope you are correct.
As mentioned, I got it from some other forum. The link is
“http://aaqua.persistent.co.in/aaqua/forum/viewthread?thread=5720”
The the post is very old (2007) but if it is true, it may be true today as well. The author is from KVK Baramati and has quoted the “Law of Prevention of Food Adultration,1976”. That’s why it looked authentic. I tried to varify from available resources on NET but couldn’t.
Hi Wasim,
you have raised a relevant question. I get plastic packed milk here in Pune from a small retailer. but if i keep it unboiled and unrefrigerated, it gets spolit. so i am assuming it is not pasturised.
but i think there is a law against selling non-pasturised raw milk, but these small retailers remain hidden from the authorities.
recently in America there was a big debate about selling non-pasturised raw milk which is illegal there. transitionvoice.com/2012/08/land … and-money/
regards
LL
Understand for a commercial diary farm we can retail in three type of packaging,
Glass or plastic bottle which is re usable - cost un known
Plastic pouch - 0.50 per pouch
Tertra packing -* aprx Rs 4-5 /Pack
Can expert advise which would be the most viable, attractive, and hygine packing to retail raw milk without pasteurizing in a small scale diary farm like 200ltr per day.?
awaiting shares.
rgds
mathew
Dear Mr.Mathews,
I know many farms right from Wayanad to Trivandrum in Kerala and some farms near Dindugul, Palani, Raasipuram,Salem,Erode,Coimbatore in TN. Most of the farms dispense milk in vessels bought by the buyer or dispense milk to houses in unsealed bottles. If you wish to seal, then that milk must be pasteurized and needs to follow many conditions like printing the name and address of the seller, MMPO licence no., you need to mention the fat and SNF of the milk in that packet, measurement of the packet etc.
For a small farm, this is not required if they dispose it as fresh milk, in loose. No headaches.
I have seen myself farms selling milk when the milking is on and the buyer’s bring vessels themselves to collect milk. For a farm size of say 10 cows, maximum could be around 100-150 litres in the morning.Once milking is over their milk is sold out too. So no headaches on storage and preservation too. This can be sold in the neighborhood itself. Packing attracts lot of unnecessary headaches from law enforcing authorities, weights and measures dept, quality control dept etc.
Why take unnecessary headaches. Your focus from producing milk will slowly be diverted to milk processing and distribution. Why you worry when fresh milk can be sold close to Packet milk price or make more money by selling Curd, Ghee,Butter, any milk based sweets. More margins you get.
Murali
Dear learnlawry,
You got me wrong.
Actually, I am in favour of retailing of raw milk provided that the quality and hygein is maintained.
Milk has got a shelf life of about 6 hrs at room temperature.
My point is that if I am maintaining proper hygein in my farm, I am cooling the milk to 4 degree immediately after milking, transporting it to the customer within 2 hrs. Clearly mentioning on the pack “Un pasteurized raw milk, please boil before use”.
Then, what is wrong in that.
I am a small farmer. putting up a pasteurizer unit is not economically viable for me and more important it is not required. I dont want to sell my product to cooperative because price is not good.
The case of America is different.
In some states there, sale of untreated milk is banned by USFDA.
Some people are fighting against it based on the fact that some vital nutrients are destroyed by heat.
There, the milk is produced on large organized dairy farms. They can afford the pasteurization and sterilization and they need it because they are selling milk in stores over long periods (5 days for pasteurized milk) and sometimes they are using it without boiling. Whereas in India, since the time man invented fire and utensils, we are boiling milk before use.
Dear Mr. Murli,
All your suggestions are accepted but please note that
1- For the kind of retailing you are suggesting, the farm need to be inside or very near to an urban area which, considering the current price of land in urban areas will be come non-viable. Moreover, it is possible if you keep the size of herd to 10-20.
2- The law doesn’t describe that selling it openly is permitted. You sell it open or sealed or packed, it still remains illegal if it is untreated.
3- Once you are selling a food article for human beings, you are liable for inspection / action by law enforcement agencies.
regards
wasim
sir’s,
i think selling milk straight from farm is possible in packets as long as there is no print on the plastic cover which do not come under sales/gst.
have seen many farmers selling milk in covers and sealing it but on plain cover. atleast in AP is shud be ok
i may be wrong , suggest please.
regards
rajesh
Dear Mr.Wasim Hadi,
Milk is sold in loose from dairy farms in pet/glass bottles without labelling and also in steel vessels brought by customers there. When milking starts they dispense milk too. Chilling is not done in farms as they cannot afford the cost of a Bulk Milk Cooler and its back up DG set. Packeting is not possible because milk has to be pasteurized and the fat % and SNF % has to be mentioned in the cover, the address of the seller, date of packaging etc has to be mentioned, which is not possible for a small farmer having 5-50 cows.
Murali
To all,
Let me clarify the rules. What ever may be the food product whether it is milk or grains or vegetables etc., If packed and sealed whatever may be the container it should have 1. Date of packing 2. Expiry date 3. Content details 4. Manufacturer name and address/Marketer name and address if the manufacturer or producer and the marketer are same one address 5. Batch number and especially the product name, has to be printed. If any of these are not there they treated to be illegal/adulterated.
Raw milk can be filled in a bottle but not sealed, (can be covered with removable cap/tin foil) without brand or product name can be given to the consumer directly by the producer, with a understanding that the milk is raw and need to be boiled immediately.
Hariprasanth
Dear Sirs,
I am sorry, the discussion is going stray.
I wanted to know what is the law for retail selling of raw milk in India because i came across a post saying that it is illegal.
Let us not discuss what we think is logically right.
I have a friend who has to close down his small dairy business and he is facing 2 cases in Allahabad high-court because the sample collected by the food inspector “did not meet specification”.
In my earlier post, I have referred to an old post in some other blog stating that it is illegal to retail raw milk. The link is here
“http://aaqua.persistent.co.in/aaqua/forum/viewthread?thread=5720”
Can anyone in this forum verify if it is right or wrong. I tried myself but couldn’t. I even wrote a mail to FSSAI.
Why people are suggesting not to put the product details on the bottle or pack. I can put all the details including batch no., production date, expiry date etc. In addition, I want to put “Raw Un-treated Milk. Please boil before use”. I want to keep it raw because I am not selling it in stores. I am supplying it directly to the customer within 2 hrs of production.
Moreover, even if you don’t seal it, still it is subject to be sampled by food inspector. The worst thing is that if you don’t specify on the pack, it is going to be tested against standards for buffalo milk. If you are selling cow milk it will fail for sure. Please see the link below mentioning FSSAI standards for different types of milk.
efreshindia.com/eFresh/Dairy … itions.pdf
Just below the table of standards, it is mentioned that
“When milk is offered for sale without indication of the class, the standards prescribed for buffalo milk shall apply”
Hi Wasimhadi,
Which state are you planning to sell raw milk? each state may have different regulations. but there is a primary issue, are you planning to sell raw milk, because the pasteurizing machines are expensive?
Have you got your dairy farm inspected by govt authorities? How are you planning to maintain quality and hygiene of raw milk during transportation?
you need to clarify these issues
meanwhile my friend Chida Shivanna in Mysore runs an organic dairy farm. i suppose you can check with him - caleidoscope.in/eco-ideaz/ox … -freshness
regards
LL
Dear Learnlawry,
Let me congratulate you and your friend on the concept. I want to replicate the same but to a slightly bigger level (starting with 20-25 and going up to 100-120 animals). It is encouraging to know this kind of setups. I will be in touch with him. Thanks for that.
I am planning to sell the milk in Uttar Pradesh because this the place to which I belong.
I am planning to chill the milk immediately after milking, packing it in polypouch just for easy transport and transporting to the customers in insulated boxes.
Unfortunately, uttar pradesh is the place most famous for all kinds of adulterated and synthetic milk. That is why authorities are always running behind everyone selling milk or milk products.
so did you started the project in uttar pradesh??