The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a notification updating labelling norms for packaged food exports, effective from 1 January 2027. The most significant change is the requirement for full nutritional information in the destination-country language for shipments to the European Union and Canada.
Key requirements
Exporters must now print the front-of-pack nutritional declaration in the destination market’s official language(s) — meaning German for Germany, French for France, both English and French for Canada and Belgium, and so on. The declaration must include energy, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugar, protein and salt content per 100g and per serving.
Allergen and origin disclosure
The 14 EU regulated allergens must be highlighted in bold within the ingredient list. Country-of-origin information must reference the actual production location, not just the dispatch port. For multi-ingredient products, the origin of the primary ingredient must be disclosed if it differs from the country shown on the front of pack.
Action for exporters
Begin label artwork review and translation now to allow time for FSSAI artwork approval, which typically takes 6–10 weeks. Build a 4-month buffer before the January 2027 enforcement date to clear in-transit and warehoused stock under the old format.
- Q1 2026 basmati exports up 18% YoY at ₹6,800 crore.
- GCC + UK together = 62% of value share.
- FOB Mundra prices up $40–55/MT YoY across all grades.
- Forward-booking volumes for Q3 2026 are 35% ahead of last year.
| Grade | FOB Mundra ($/MT) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1121 Basmati (Steam) | $1,180 | +5.2% |
| 1121 Basmati (Raw) | $1,080 | +4.8% |
| 1509 Basmati (Steam) | $960 | +3.1% |
Forward-booking volumes for Q3 2026 are running 35% ahead of last year — suggesting sustained import demand through the new-crop harvest window.
| 1121 Steam | $1,180 | up |
| 1121 Raw | $1,080 | up |
| Cumin (ASTA) | $3,200 | down |
| Yellow Maize | $248 | up |
| Apr 30 | APEDA Annual Renewal |
| May 15 | EU MRL Update — Spices & Millets |
| Jun 01 | New Crop Basmati — Pricing Season |
| Jun 10 | GCC Customs Update — Dubai Portal |
| Trade & Export | India-UAE CEPA: Agro Exporters Gain Zero-Duty Access on 97% of Tariff Lines | # |
| Market Updates | Cumin Seeds: Global Shortage Pushes FOB Prices to a 3-Year High | # |
| Regulatory | EU MRL Updates 2026: New Pesticide Residue Limits | # |