The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) on June 03, 2026, notified regarding the prohibition to Import, manufacture, sell, distribute, and use in any food-producing animal rearing system of drug formulations containing "Chloramphenicol or Nitrofurans drugs.
The following has been stated:
• It highlights continued concerns regarding the illegal manufacture, sale, and use of Chloramphenicol, Nitrofurans, and their formulations in food-producing animals, despite their prohibition under Government Notification S.O. 1158 dated March 12, 2025. The issue gained significance after the Marine Products Export Development Authority reported that residues of these banned drugs were detected in shrimp export consignments, resulting in 43% of export rejections in 2025 by major markets such as the EU, USA, and Japan. Most affected farms were located in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and Gujarat.
• State Drug Controllers have been requested to strengthen surveillance and enforcement by conducting inspections of veterinary medical shops and related establishments, monitoring the sale and distribution of these drugs, and ensuring that they are supplied only to licensed manufacturers for approved purposes.
• States have also been asked to provide details of the implementation mechanism, inspections conducted, outcomes of such inspections, and punitive actions taken against violators.
[Notification no. - VET-13020(20)/3/2026-32711]
