Tighter rules coming on infant formula imports

A move to tighten import controls on infant formula will likely curb market growth for some smaller, sub-par foreign suppliers and benefit major leading overseas producers, industry analysts said.

Only 41 foreign producers from 13 countries were approved to import their products to China, according to the Certification and Accreditation Administration. They constitute the first suppliers who registered in advance. The list will be updated based on the progress of suppliers' registration. A second cluster of suppliers and list of approved brands are expected to be announced this month, industry analyst Song Liang said.

As of April 1, imported baby formula products had to be tagged with Chinese labels before arriving in the country. Unregistered producers will not be allowed to import to China as of May 1.