AGMARK grading and certification

AGMARK is the quality certification mark for agricultural commodities in India, administered by the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI) under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. The system establishes grade designations and packaging norms for sale of notified commodities under a national legal framework.

Overview

AGMARK operates under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937, amended in 1986. Grade specifications have been issued for more than 220 commodities, including ghee, butter, honey, mustard oil, wheat atta, besan and a wide range of whole and ground spices. The mark indicates that a packed lot meets DMI-notified standards for purity, quality and packaging.

Eligibility

Manufacturers, packers and processors seeking to use the AGMARK label must obtain a Certificate of Authorisation from DMI for each commodity and packing unit. Approved facilities are required to operate an approved laboratory or have access to one and to follow DMI-prescribed sampling and testing protocols.

Benefit and structure

Grading separates produce by attributes such as size, colour, moisture content, foreign matter and chemical composition into named grade designations (often "Special", "Standard" and "General"). The system supports price differentiation along the supply chain, enables consumer recognition and provides a basis for export grade equivalence.

Implementation

Testing is anchored by the Central AGMARK Laboratory in Nagpur, supported by 11 Regional AGMARK Laboratories at nodal cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata. DMI inspectors carry out periodic surveillance, draw market samples and process authorisation applications. AGMARK certification complements food-safety regulation by FSSAI and quality grading at APMC yards (see Apmc Mandi).

References

Grades and Standards. Directorate of Marketing & Inspection.
AGMARK Grades and Standards (compendium).