The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has mandated that all independent milk producers and vendors register for a license, effective March 2026, to curb adulteration. The directive applies to non-cooperative members, targeting vendors, producers selling directly, and middlemen, with required special drives to ensure compliance.
Independent milk producers (not in cooperatives) and all independent milk vendors, aggregators, and agents must register with FSSAI or obtain a license, depending on their turnover.
“All milk producers (other than those who are registered members of a dairy cooperative society under cooperative societies Act and supply or sell the entire milk to the Society) and vendors are hereby advised to mandatorily register themselves with FSSAI, before commencing or continuing their operations,” reads the advisory.
Producers who are registered members of a recognized dairy cooperative society and sell their entire output to that society are exempt.
States have been directed to launch special registration drives to bring all operators into the formal system. Authorities are instructed to inspect chillers used by vendors and producers.
“Enforcement authorities of Central and all States/UTs are requested to direct the concerned Designated Officers /Central Licensing Authorities and Food Safety Officers to verify that all such milk producers and vendors possess a valid Registration Certificate or Licence, as applicable,” the advisory added.
This move aims to reduce adulteration and ensure the sale of safe milk by ensuring a high level of compliance for the dairy supply chain.
The order comes on the back of an earlier order issued in December 2025, which established a ‘special enforcement drive’ for all milk products. Under these rules, enforcement agencies must submit Action Taken Reports (ATRs) on a fortnightly basis, specifically by the 15th and the end of each month, to ensure continuous monitoring.
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Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025
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