NEPAL’s Food Technology and Quality Control Department on Monday barred the import, sale and distribution of Priyagold biscuits manufactured by Surya Food and Agro Ltd after the Indian regulator flagged serious hygiene lapses.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had already suspended the company’s licence and opened legal proceedings following an inspection that uncovered the use of cattle‑feed bran and other violations that contravene food‑safety standards.
Director‑General Sanjeev Kumar Karna convened a virtual emergency session to decide on the ban, stressing that consumer health and welfare must take precedence over trade interests.
FTQCD has instructed all authorised importers and food traders to immediately recall any existing stocks of Priyagold biscuits and to halt further imports, while a shopkeeper in Kathmandu said he was forced to throw away a batch of the product after receiving the notice.
The ban comes as Nepal seeks to enforce stricter food‑safety oversight, and the FSSAI’s legal action may prompt further scrutiny of cross‑border food supplies.
Both sides will monitor compliance, and Nepal may issue additional directives if the company fails to rectify the identified deficiencies.