Jasim Uddin Haroon

The government has taken a unique move to create a pool of local ISO-expert auditors to ensure an efficient food safety management system in the country and increase export of local food products.

ISO 22000-2005, set by Geneva-based International Register of Certificated Auditors (IRCA), is a globally accepted food standard, and also a pre-requisite for the export market.

As part of the move, the SME Foundation recently organised a six-day course at its office in the city. Industries Minister Dilip Barua joined its concluding session Tuesday.

The successful participants will work as the local agents of the IRCA, and their reports will ensure the certification for the local companies. The participants will guide their own companies as well as others to comply with the standard.

"This will be a cheaper and easily available option for the local manufacturers," said Md Mujibur Rahman, SME Foundation deputy general manager.

He said: "The participants and the foundation have an agreement to extend their services to other factories. The foundation is likely to conduct more such courses in future to ensure supplying of safe foods both in the local and foreign markets."

He also said: "Currently ethnic markets in Gulf, Europe and Africa are the main consumers of Bangladeshi food products."

Currently, only two or three local companies are complying with the ISO 22000:2005 standard. The local companies cannot comply with the standard, mainly because of the huge financial involvement, required in the certification process. Apart from this, many companies are not aware of the standard.

The Industries Minister in his speech at the concluding session said: "I believe that the participants, who have already gained practical knowledge and developed their expertise on food safety management and the legal aspect of the ISO 22000:2005, will deliver their inputs to manufacture local foods of global standard."

Humayan Kabir, a participant of the course, told the FE: "We have learned a lot over the past six days, I expect I will qualify to be an ISO auditor to serve my company and other food manufacturing units."