Quality control orders have helped open markets: Officials

NEW DELHI: Quality control orders (QCOs) are not just meant to help improve standards within the country but have also emerged as tools to help govt get foreign countries to open the doors for Indian exports, officials said.

They cited the instance of European Union, which was not allowing Indian fisheries exports for nine years, and govt leveraged QCOs to get the trade bloc - known to strike a hard bargain during negotiations - to open the market for 102 new establishments, whose clearances were pending.

Similarly, Russia is looking to allow 25 Indian entities to export seafood to the market, helping these players tap into the food market there. The moves, officials said, coincided with attempts to diversify exports beyond the US, where 50% tariffs have had an impact on Indian marine product exports.

Globally, countries have standards for domestically-produced goods and all imports have to comply with the standards. Often these standards are leveraged to strike deals with other countries, resulting in opening up markets as well as attracting investments.

The govt has notified 191 quality control orders, covering 773 products with more planned in coming months. While there are demands from industry to go slow on the norms that seek to improve the quality of products sold within the country, and check the entry of sub-standard goods, officials said the standards have also helped attract investors in sectors, where imports from China were flooding the market.The cited instances, such as door hinges and plywood and laminates, where domestic manufacturing has got a boost with local players setting up facilities.