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A new publication reveals a wasteful expenditure of more than 2600 Crore annually on fortification of rice with iron in an attempt to reduce anaemia in India.
The Government of India is on course for adopting a policy on mandatory fortification of foods, including rice in the Social Safety Network programs, following up the one notified in 2018, which was voluntary. Fortification of rice with iron is envisaged as a crucial public health response to prevailing reports of persistent anaemia and undernutrition in the country. This policy ignores the central role of a balanced and diverse diet for addressing the variety of nutritional problems in the nation. And the policy is proposed in addition to the ‘supplementary iron’ being given through the government programmes.
Eighteen experts in the field of nutrition, epidemiology, health and economics from throughout India argue for “extreme caution” in implementing new chemical interventions to address micronutrient deficiencies in India. The case in point is the mandatory iron fortification of the rice to be provided in the national programmes of ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) and Mid-day Meal schemes. Why this caution? First, putting more of the same thing may not be effective and second, if intake is in excess because of double layering of iron intake, it may do more harm than good. According to the scientific studies published in reputed international journals increasing the iron intake alone has no impact and cannot replace the dietary diversity. It is the dietary diversity that facilitates the uptake of iron for the body.
