AGMARK Registration (Certificate of Authorisation)
To pack agricultural produce under the AGMARK label, you need a Certificate of Authorisation from the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI). It is granted under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937 and is valid for five years. We prepare your application, line up the laboratory arrangement and handle the filing and follow-up.
What it is
AGMARK is the Government of India’s grade mark for agricultural produce. A packer who grades a product to the notified standard and marks it with the AGMARK label is called an authorised packer. The permission to do this is the Certificate of Authorisation, often called AGMARK registration.
The law is the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937, amended in 1986, and the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988. The certificate is granted by the Agricultural Marketing Adviser to the Government of India, who heads the DMI, or by an officer authorised by them. Separate commodity grading rules set the grade standards for each product, and organic produce has its own rules from 2009.
AGMARK standards cover more than 200 commodities, from pulses, cereals and spices to vegetable oils, ghee, honey and essential oils. Testing support comes from the Central Agmark Laboratory at Nagpur and a network of regional Agmark laboratories.
Who it applies to
You pack food staples
Businesses that pack ghee, honey, edible oils, pulses, atta, besan or spices and want to sell them under the AGMARK grade designation mark. Picture a Faridabad unit that packs mustard oil and besan for local kirana stores and now wants a grade mark on the pack.
You want a government grade on your brand
Food brands that want a notified government grade on the pack, so a buyer can see the product was tested against a set standard.
Another law asks for it
For some products, other rules, including food safety regulations, call for AGMARK certification. We check your product against the current rules before you invest in packing lines.
Why it matters
Marking without it is an offence
Section 4 of the Act punishes marking a scheduled article with a grade designation mark without authorisation: up to six months’ imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹5,000.
Buyers trust the grade
The AGMARK label tells a buyer the product was tested against a notified government standard. Each label carries a series and serial number.
Five years of cover
Under Rule 4, the certificate is valid for five years from issue. One approval covers the products and premises named in it.
Documents required
About the business
- Declaration of proprietorship, partnership or company
- PAN and GST registration of the business
- Specimen of your trade brand or label (a registered trademark helps protect it)
About the premises
- Blueprint or layout of the grading and packing premises
- Proof of ownership or tenancy of the premises
About testing
- Details of your own laboratory, if you have one
- Or consent of an approved State, cooperative or private commercial laboratory
- Details of the approved chemist who will grade
How it works
Check that your product has a notified grade
We check that grade standards exist for your product under the commodity grading rules, and note the grades and packing conditions you will have to meet.
Tie up a laboratory and an approved chemist
Rule 3 needs either your own laboratory that meets DMI norms or access to an approved laboratory, plus an approved chemist with the prescribed qualifications and training. Testing and grading are done by the laboratory and its chemist, not by us. We handle the paperwork that ties the arrangement to your application.
File the application with the fee
We prepare the declaration, premises papers, laboratory consent and brand specimens, and file them with the DMI along with the prescribed fee.
Prepare for the DMI’s checks
The DMI checks that the premises, laboratory and chemist meet the conditions in Rule 3. We reply to any query with the papers asked for.
Receive the certificate and start grading
The certificate names the packer, the products, the authorised premises, the validity period and the approved laboratory. You then grade, pack and use AGMARK labels as the rules require. In practice, the pack also has to carry the declarations required under the Legal Metrology packaged commodity rules, so we review the label design once, for both.
AGMARK labels and replica printing
Rule 10 describes the AGMARK label. It can be a tie-on label, a paste-on label or a benderol label, and each label carries letters showing its series and serial number.
Here is the catch for growing brands. A honey packer moving from a few thousand jars a month to supermarket volumes soon finds separate labels slow on the line, and wants the AGMARK replica printed on the jar itself. The rules allow this once you have held the certificate for two years, with satisfactory performance, and use at least 50,000 labels a year. The 50,000-label condition can be waived.
| Point | What the rules say |
|---|---|
| Label types | Tie-on, paste-on, benderol and similar labels |
| Label identity | Series letters and serial number on each label |
| Replica printing | After 2 years as a certificate holder, with satisfactory performance |
| Volume condition | At least 50,000 labels a year (can be waived) |
Timelines
Use the certificate for 5 years
The Certificate of Authorisation is valid for five years from the date of issue under Rule 4.
Apply for renewal 30 days before expiry
Apply for renewal at least 30 days before the certificate expires. If you applied in time, you can continue grading while renewal is pending.
Know that renewal closes 30 days after expiry
No renewal application is entertained more than 30 days after expiry. Miss that window and you apply afresh.
What happens if the rules are broken
Prosecution for unauthorised marking
Section 4: imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of up to ₹5,000 for marking a scheduled article without authorisation.
Suspension or cancellation
Under Rule 7, the certificate can be suspended or cancelled for incorrect marking or breach of the Act or Rules, after a notice giving you 14 days to explain.
Appeal in 15 days
Under Rule 20, an appeal against such an order goes to the Agricultural Marketing Adviser within 15 days, whose decision is final.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Certificate of Authorisation under AGMARK?
It is the permission that lets a packer grade a product and mark it with the AGMARK label. It is granted under Rule 3 of the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988 by the Agricultural Marketing Adviser or an authorised officer of the DMI. The certificate names the products, the premises and the approved laboratory. Once you hold it, you are an authorised packer for those products.
How long is AGMARK certification valid?
Five years from the date of issue, under Rule 4. Apply for renewal at least 30 days before expiry; renewal depends on how well you have performed as a grader. No application is entertained more than 30 days after expiry. We keep the date on our calendar and start the renewal file early, so your packing never has to stop.
Do I need my own laboratory for AGMARK?
No, it is one of two options. Rule 3 lets you either set up your own laboratory meeting DMI norms or use an approved State, cooperative or private commercial laboratory. In both cases an approved chemist with the prescribed qualification and training does the grading. Many small packers start with an approved laboratory and build their own later.
Is AGMARK the same as an FSSAI licence?
No. An FSSAI licence lets you make or sell food at all; AGMARK certifies that a product meets a notified grade standard. Most AGMARK packers of food need both. If you need an FSSAI central licence or a state licence as well, sort that out alongside the AGMARK application. We can handle both applications together.
What is the penalty for using the AGMARK label without authorisation?
Up to six months’ imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹5,000, under Section 4 of the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937. These amounts were set by the 1986 amendment, in force from 15 April 1987. Print or apply the mark only after the certificate is issued, and only on the products it covers.
Can I print the AGMARK logo directly on my packets?
Yes, once you qualify for replica printing. Under Rule 10, you need to have held the certificate for two years, with satisfactory performance, and use at least 50,000 labels a year, though the volume condition can be waived. Until then, you use the AGMARK labels issued in series. We prepare the replica request once you are eligible.
Can the DMI cancel my certificate?
Yes, but only after giving you a chance to explain. Under Rule 7, the certificate can be suspended or cancelled for incorrect marking or breach of the Act or Rules, after a notice giving you 14 days to reply. You can appeal within 15 days under Rule 20. Proper grading records are your best defence, and we help draft replies.
Which products can carry AGMARK?
Products for which grade standards are notified under the 1937 Act, which covers more than 200 commodities. They include pulses, cereals, spices, edible oils, ghee, honey, fruits, vegetables and essential oils. Organic produce has separate rules from 2009. Send us your product list and we will confirm which items have notified standards before you apply.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
The DMI’s prescribed fee, laboratory charges and AGMARK label costs vary by product and laboratory. We confirm each with the DMI and the laboratory before you pay.
Ready to begin?
Tell us what you pack and where, and we will put together your AGMARK Certificate of Authorisation file with the laboratory arrangement in place.