As per the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) rules, it is mandatory for food-related businesses, however small, to apply for a license or registration. A basic FSSAI License can be issued in 7-10 days. A State and Central license can take 30 days. Food Business Operators involved in the small-scale food business must obtain FSSAI Registration. The businesses that need to get FSSAI Registration are as follows:
(1) Any person who sells or manufactures food materials alone.
(2) People except a caterer who distributes food materials at any religious or social gathering.
(3) Any small retainer who deals in food products.
(4) A temporary stall holder who is involved in food sales.
(5) Small-scale or cottage industries involved in the food business.
(6) A small-scale food business operator with a food production capacity (except for milk and meat) of up to 100 kg/ltr per day.
(7) Any food business operator with a slaughtering capacity of 2 large animals 10 small animals, or 50 poultry birds per day.
(8) Any food business operator involved in the procurement, handling and collection of milk up to 500 ltr per day.
Categories of License and Registration under FSSAI are as follows:
1. State Licensing Cost
The eligible Food Business Operators who should obtain the state FSSAI License Cost are businesses related to food storage, retailers of food products, marketers related to food products and food product distributors—the state authorities located in a state issue state licenses.
In India, the applicable FSSAI Registration cost is as follows:
(1) The FSSAI License cost for 4 Stars Hotel is Rs. 5000.
(2) A manufacturer and miller who produces 501 to 2500 MT of milk solids per annum, has up to 10,001 to 50,000 LPD of milk or has a production of above 1MT per day has to pay an amount of Rs. 5000 as a cost for FSSAI License.
(3) A manufacturer or miller who produces below 1 MT of milk, or 501 to 10,000 LPD of milk, or 2.5 MP to 500 MT of milk solids per annum has to pay the FSSAI License cost of Rs. 3000.
(4) The FSSAI License cost or fee is Rs. 2000 for food business vendors and other food business operators, including clubs, restaurant/boarding houses etc, that serve food.
(5) The FSSAI License cost or fees is Rs. 2000 for food business operators serving food, including canteens in schools, colleges, institutions and offices, caterers and banquet halls with food catering arrangements.
(6) The FSSAI License cost for renewal will depend upon the number of years selected.
(7) The Food License cost for a duplicate license will be 10% of the applicable license cost.
2. Central Licensing Cost
An FSSAI License has to be obtained by manufacturers, entrepreneurs, food business operators involved in the Central Government Agency, ports and food business operators connected to the airport. The Regional Offices issues FSSAI Central License to entrepreneurs involved in the food business.
The cost details of the FSSAI License Cost are as follows
(1) The new FSSAI Central License costs Rs. 7500, which needs to be fixed annually.
(2) The FSSAI License cost for renewal has been fixed at Rs. 7500 per year.
(3) The cost of improving the FSSAI License is Rs. 7500.
Any food business operator has to understand the correct breakdown of the cost structure while planning to start a food business in India. Obtaining the FSSAI License helps the food business operators carry out their business efficiently and therefore increases accountability of the food business operators.
