Make country of origin label mandatory on imported items: CTI

New Delhi, Dec 19 (KNN) The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) in a letter to the Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has urged him to make changes in the import and e-commerce policy.

The traders' body demanded mandatory mention of 'Country of Origin' on every item.

Speaking about the demands made, Brijesh Goyal, CTI Chairman said, "It has appealed to the government to bring in a change under which it makes it mandatory to write the country of origin on the imported goods. Right now there is no information on many things. Especially on e-commerce sites, consumers cannot find where the goods they buy are manufactured."

This appeal by the CTI comes after the traders in Delhi opened a front against Chinese products in the midst of the India-China Tawang faceoff, ANI reported.

Goyal pointed out that even when people don't want to buy Chinese products, they still end up buying them as the 'country of origin' is not mentioned on them. The traders' body official said that if 'country of origin' is written on the products, then Indians can boycott Chinese goods.

"We have to break the economic back of China. In the first 9 months of this year, the bilateral trade between India and China has crossed USD 103.63 billion. At the same time, the domestic trade deficit has increased to more than USD 75.69 billion. During this period, exports from China to India stood at USD 89.66 billion," he added, as quoted by ANI. 

"While exports from India to China were only USD 13.97 billion, showing a decline of 36.4 percent. If Indian businessmen and consumers boycott Chinese goods, then China will come to its senses," he added.  (KNN Bureau)