TURKMENISTAN REVISES LAW ON FOOD QUALITY AND TIGHTENS BABY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000567

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EIND ETRD SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN REVISES LAW ON FOOD QUALITY AND TIGHTENS BABY
FOOD REGULATIONS

ASHGABAT 00000567 001.2 OF 002



1. (U) SUMMARY: On April 28, the official newspaper, "Neytralniy
Turkmenistan," published two revised laws that impose new measures
to ensure the safety of baby food and other food products and that
outline the government's responsibilities to assure that imported
foods, in particular, are safe for consumption. While the laws are
generally restrictive regarding new challenges such as
genetically-modified foods and food additives, and ban the marketing
of infant formulas to expectant mothers, they also reflect some
relaxation of restrictions on the importation of foods with a
limited shelf life. The latter change could result in more imported
foods making it through customs inspection and into the Turkmenistan
market. END SUMMARY.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH OVERSEES FOOD QUALITY AND SAFETY


2. (U) The newly-revised law on food product quality and safety
still contains provisions on product certification, labeling, and
importation, and continues its ban on the importation of food
products made of genetically-modified contents. For the first time,
the new law also allows the importation of vitamin and herbal
supplements.


3. (U) The revised law states that herbal and vitamin supplements
can be imported after the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Service
of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry (MOHMI) approve and
register them in Turkmenistan, assuming that health authorities in
the country of origin have approved their use. The MOHMI is tasked
with monitoring the use of supplements, and can restrict or ban
their importation if new scientific information surfaces regarding
their potential negative side effects. The MOHMI can restrict the
importation of food products that contain unauthorized supplements
or more than three artificial colors.


4. (SBU) The new law also reduces the minimum shelf life
requirement with regard to food imports. From now on, food products
cannot be imported if they have less than 50 percent of their shelf
life, starting from their production dates, when they reach
Turkmenistan. (NOTE: Shelf life is a key problem in Turkmenistan,
where expired products of every kind are a common occurrence, and
transportation from foreign factory to the Turkmen market can take
months. END NOTE.)

RESTRICTING THE MARKETING OF BABY FORMULAS


5. (U) A new law that covers baby food safety and that lays down
international standards for promoting breastfeeding was also adopted
in late April. It establishes a national policy through promotion,
protection and advertisement of breastfeeding, and also sets quality
and safety standards for infant formula.


6. (U) MOHMI has been made responsible for promoting breastfeeding
by training nurses and educating new mothers. The law does not
allow health specialists to release the names and addresses of
pregnant and breastfeeding women to those seeking to market infant
formulas. The law forbids all healthcare institutions --with the
exception of orphanages -- from accepting baby food donations from
entities seeking to market baby food. The law also prohibits baby
food manufacturers and distributors from advertising infant formulas
to health care providers that would discourage breastfeeding,
without approval from the MOHMI.


7. (U) The law contains specific provisions on baby food packaging,
labeling and sale. A warning must be on the package that states
that a formula should be used only if a doctor prescribes it.
Infant formula is to be sold only in special baby food stores or
pharmacies that meet specific sanitary requirements. Infant formula
labels must be written in Turkmen and/or Russian and foreign
languages, and must contain information on its origin, exporter,
importer, shelf life, date of origin and packaging. The law even
introduced regulations regarding infant pacifiers. A pacifier can
only be sold if the package reads, "Warning: Use of a pacifier will
do harm to breast feeding."

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8. (SBU) COMMENT: Local food importers view the reduction in
remaining shelf life from 70 percent to 50 percent as a positive
change, due to the time it takes to get food products from foreign
factory to the Turkmen market. Local consumers hope that this
change will result in a wider variety of food imports, which could
potentially lead to a decrease in food prices. Allowing the
importation of supplements is also a welcome change. A friend of a
local Pol/Econ staffer, who in the past used supplements made in
Israel to stimulate her immune system, said that she had to stop
taking them in January of 2004, because the previous version of the
law banned the importation of supplements. The new law should open
the door for herbal and vitamin supplements to re-enter the Turkmen
market. END COMMENT.

MILES