Export ban on alcohol-based sanitisers limited to those with dispenser pumps

The government on Monday limited its export ban on alcohol-based hand sanitisers only to those in containers with dispenser pumps.

In a notification, Directorate General of Foreign Trade said alcohol-based hand sanitisers in any other form or packaging are free for exports with immediate effect.

Amid COVID-19 outbreak, the government had banned exports of all types of sanitisers in March, but limited the restriction in May only to alcohol-based sanitisers.

Now, the export ban has been further relaxed, which sources said has been done to give a boost to domestic manufacturing capabilities for dispenser pumps.

Most of these pumps are imported from China as of now and efforts are underway to encourage domestic players to manufacture them locally under the government's Self Reliant India Mission.

A notification dated May 6 is amended "to the extent that only alcohol-based hand sanitisers exported in containers with the dispenser pump.....are prohibited for exports", Directorate General of Foreign Trade said.