The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has issued a Notification No.46/(RE-2008)/2004-09 dated 24th September, 2008, prohibiting import of dairy products (including milk and milk products) from China with immediate effect for three months.

The detail of the Notification is as under:

"The following Import Licensing Note shall be added at the end of Chapter 4 of ITC (HS) Classification of Export and Import Items, 2004-09:

"(3) The import from China of Dairy Products including milk and milk products appearing under Chapter 4 of Schedule - I of ITC (HS) Classifications of Export and Import Items is prohibited for three months with immediate effect and until further orders.

The transitional arrangements under para 1.5 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2004-09 will not be allowed in the case of import of above products from China for this period."

Import prohibition on dairy products from China imposes temporary ban and suspends transitional import allowances. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade added an Import Licensing Note to Chapter 4 of the ITC (HS) Classification prohibiting import of milk and milk products from China, effective immediately for a temporary period and until further notice. The notification bars application of transitional arrangements under paragraph 1.5 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2004-09 for such imports during the prohibition.