India Applauded for Leading Global Millet Standards at Codex Committee Meeting in Rome
New Delhi, July 19 — India has been praised for its global leadership in developing food standards, especially for whole millet grains. This recognition came during the 88th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Executive Committee (CCEXEC88), held at the FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy, from July 14 to 18.
India is leading the work on creating a global standard for whole millets. It is being supported by co-chair countries Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal. These efforts were reviewed and appreciated during the Codex meeting, according to a statement from India’s Health Ministry.
The main rules for this millet standard were decided earlier in April 2025 at a meeting of the Codex Committee on Cereals, Pulses and Legumes (CCCPL11).
The committee also reviewed other work led by India, including global standards for fresh dates, which were discussed earlier this year in February at the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV23). The committee welcomed these efforts and agreed to move them forward for approval at the 48th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC48), to be held in November 2025.
India will also act as co-chair for new global food standards on fresh turmeric and fresh broccoli.
India took an active role in shaping the Codex Strategic Plan for 2026–2031. It helped finalize SMART Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which will help measure progress and will be sent for final approval at CAC48. India emphasized that these indicators should focus on actual results and be easy to measure.
India also shared information about its training programs for neighboring countries like Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Timor Leste. These programs have been recognized by the FAO for helping improve food safety knowledge and systems in the region.
India has been leading the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) since it began in 2014. The country also encouraged less active members of Codex to make use of the Codex Trust Fund (CTF) to join mentorship and training projects.
