Keen to address the issues of the ASU sector arising out of the implementation of barcode, the Pharmexcil recently made a strong appeal to the Union ministries of commerce and Ayush, requesting them to look into the possibilities of giving some reprieve from barcode implementation. This move comes in the wake of repeated requests made by the Ayush sector to exempt the sector from the ambit of impending implementation of barcodes on all export consignments, which is expected to be in place by October 1.

While the commerce ministry has clearly made its intentions clear with respect to implementation of barcodes on all export consignments, the industry is hopeful that at least small and medium scale industry will be exempted from the same. It is understood that Pharmexcil, which has been having series of meetings with the industry representatives in the past few months, has expressed strong willingness to take up this matter with the concerned authority.

Based on its study on the market dynamics and size, Pharmexcil recently made a representation to the government urging the Centre to consider giving some leg space to the sector considering its small market size. Dr Appaji, director general of Pharmexcil informed that as per their observation they have urged the government to implement barcoding primarily on companies having only high turnover from exports while exempting others with relatively low export turnover to protect the interest of the industry.

“We understand that from the cost angle it will be an exacting process for the small scale companies to immediately tackle with the same. Especially considering that they have low export turnover, thus based on all the representations, we have requested both the ministries to look into this matter on an urgent basis keeping the greater interest of the sector. The ministry has always been pro industry, which is evident by the gradual and cautious approach adopted by the Centre in implementing the same.”

He, however, added that the ministry is very adamant about implementing the same especially keeping in mind the important role it will play in strengthening the image of the Indian manufactured goods in the global market after the implementation. This is the best way of tackling with the menace of counterfeiting and misbranded drugs in the market, as all these initiatives are taken by the government to strengthen the branding of the Indian drugs, which in the long run will be beneficial for the Indian manufacturers in building their export business, Dr Appaji pointed out.