ISLAMABAD (February 26 2004): The government has miserably failed to control production of substandard ghee/cooking oil. Rather, the officials' half-hearted warnings of strict action on production and marketing of low quality ghee/cooking oil have worked otherwise.

This has been confirmed by the Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) in its report, which said that production of substandard ghee/ cooking oil is on the rise.

According to the Authority, at least 13 mills have been producing and marketing substandard cooking oil/ ghee products.

These included Family Banaspati of Pan Asia Food Products (Pvt) Limited Hattar; Lazat Banaspati/Lazat Pakwan of Lazat Banaspati (Pvt) Limited, Faisalabad; Shalimar Banaspati/Shahwez Banaspati of Shahwez Ghee and Cooking Oil Mills Faisalabad; Laziza Banaspati of Bilal Vegetable Ghee Mills Muzaffarabad; Shahzada Banaspati of Shahzad Ghee Mills (Pvt) Limited Gadoon Amazai; Ashraf Yadghar Banaspati/Supreme Banaspati of Hussnain Dawood Oil and Ghee Mills (Pvt) Limited Hattar.

The report also included the name of Ashraf Banaspati of Ashraf Ghee Mills (Pvt) Limited Peshawar; Khyber Banaspati of Spinner Ghee Industries (Pvt) Limited Peshawar; Chiltan Banaspati of Chiltan Ghee Mills (Pvt) Limited, Quetta.

Other mills, which as per PSQCA report produce substandard ghee/ cooking oil products, were Silver Banaspati Silver cooking oil of Silver Oil Mills Islamabad, Rehman Edible Oil of Shahroz Cooking Oil Mills, Lahore; Nafees Edible Oil of Azhar Oil Products Rahimyar Khan; and Kitchen Cooking Oil of Transtec, Bhai Phero.

An official told Business Recorder on Wednesday that the PSQCA had recommended to the administration of the respective districts to take action against the ghee millers who were producing and selling less quality products.

The producers are required to meet the PSQCA standard in production and selling of their products and its violation can result in initiation of action against them. Under PSQCA Act, the producers of substandard products can be arrested, fined to the tune of Rs 100,000.

Courtesy Business Recorder