Nepal has imposed a complete ban on the import, entry and sale of Indian-made Priyagold biscuits after regulators found that the product contained cattle feed unfit for human consumption. The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC), the country's food safety authority under the Ministry of Health and Population, issued the order and directed all official importers and food businesses to immediately stop selling the biscuits and to recall every batch from the market. The decision, reported by Nepali media on October 18, 2026, affects biscuits produced by Surya Food and Agro Limited, an Indian company whose Priyagold brand had been reaching Nepali consumers through official import channels.
What regulators found
At the centre of the ban is the discovery of chokar, a substance used as cattle feed, in the biscuits. According to the department, its findings established that the product contained this material and was therefore not fit for human consumption. The presence of animal feed in a packaged food item intended for regular consumption placed the product in clear violation of the standards the department enforces, and the regulator responded by moving to block the product at every stage of its journey to Nepali consumers: at the point of import, at the border, and on shop shelves.
The biscuits in question are produced by Surya Food and Agro Limited, a company based in India. Priyagold is the brand name under which the biscuits were sold, and the ban applies to the product regardless of which batch it comes from.
Key facts at a glance
- Product banned: Priyagold biscuits
- Manufacturer: Surya Food and Agro Limited, India
- Reason: Biscuits were found to contain chokar, cattle feed unfit for human consumption
- Action taken: Ban on import, entry and sale, along with an order to recall all batches
- Authority: Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, under the Ministry of Health and Population
- Decision reported: October 18, 2026
The ban and the recall order
The department's directive covers three distinct stages of the product's path to the market:
- Import: No new consignments of Priyagold biscuits may be brought into Nepal from India.
- Entry: The product may not enter the country through any channel, meaning shipments in transit cannot be released into the Nepali market.
- Sale: All official importers and food businesses must stop selling the biscuits immediately.
Beyond stopping sales, the department has ordered the recall of all batches of the product from the market. This means the order is not limited to future shipments: stock that has already been imported, distributed or placed on shelves must be withdrawn as well. Importers and food businesses are therefore required to pull Priyagold biscuits from their supply chains and remove them from consumer reach.
The directive takes effect immediately. The department's language leaves no waiting period for traders: businesses covered by the order are expected to comply at once, halting sales and beginning the withdrawal of existing stock from the market.
Who must comply
The order names two categories of businesses: official importers of the product and food businesses selling it. In practice, this places responsibility on everyone in the chain of distribution, from the companies that bring the biscuits into Nepal to the retailers who sell them to customers. Each of these businesses is required to stop sales and participate in recalling all batches of the product from the market.
The regulator behind the decision
The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control is the government agency responsible for monitoring food quality and safety in Nepal. It functions under the Ministry of Health and Population, the ministry that sets the country's broader health policy. The department's oversight extends to both domestically produced food and imported products, giving it the authority to act when goods entering the country are found to be unsafe for consumption.
In this case, the department used that authority to prohibit the product's import, entry and sale and to order its withdrawal from the market. The move demonstrates the department's readiness to block an entire branded product line when its findings show that the food is unfit for people to eat. Because the product is an imported item, the action also severs the supply route from the Indian manufacturer to Nepali retailers, ensuring that no new stock can legally replace what is being withdrawn.
How the news was reported
The ban was made public through reports published on October 18, 2026. Nepal Press reported the prohibition on the import and sale of the biscuits, while Nagarik News highlighted the department's instruction to withdraw the product from the market. Business-focused outlet Bizmandu also covered the department's decision.
For now, the ban remains in force: Priyagold biscuits produced by Surya Food and Agro Limited cannot legally be imported, brought into or sold in Nepal, and businesses holding stock of the product are under orders to take it off the market.
