FAQ for organic agricultural produce

Frequently Asked Questions regarding certification of organic 
agricultural produce under Agmark 

Q. 1. What are the salient features of the Agricultural Produce (Grading & Marking)
Act, 1937?
Ans :
i. It is an Act to provide for the grading  and marking of the agricultural and other
produce.  
ii. Agricultural produce has been defined as to include all produce  of agriculture or
horticulture and all articles of food or drink wholly or partly manufactured from any
such produce, and fleeces and the skins of animals.
iii. The Act has provision for making Rules to carry out the provisions of the Act.
General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988  and 112 Specific Commodity Grading
and Marking Rules are notified.
The Act can be accessed at the website: http://agmarknet.nic.in  by clicking on the icon
“Grades and Standards”.

Q. 2. What are General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988?
Ans. General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988  give detailed procedure of grant of
Certificate of Authorization,  setting up of laboratories, action on irregularities, consumer
protection measures, etc. These Rules are applicable to all the agricultural commodities
certified under Agmark.  
The Rules can be accessed at the website: http://agmarknet.nic.in  by clicking on the icon
“Grades and Standards”.
Q. 3. What are Specific Commodity Grading and Marking Rules?
Ans. The Specific Commodity Grading and Marking Rules provide commodity specific
grade standards, packaging requirements, labeling requirements, etc.  Till date, 112
Specific Commodity Grading and Marking Rules covering 203 agricultural commodities
have been notified.  
The Specific Commodity Grading and Marking  Rules can be accessed at the website:
http://agmarknet.nic.in  by clicking on the icon “Grades and Standards”.

  Q.4. What is the Group wise break up of commodities for which Grade standards
are notified under Agmark?
Ans. The group wise break up of commodities is as under:
Name of the Group:                  No. of commodities notified
1. Food grain and allied products            30
2.  Fruits and Vegetables                      44
3.  Spices and condiments                      26
4.  Edible Nuts                                  08
5.  Oil Seeds                                  15
6.  Vegetable Oils and Fats                    19
7.  Oil cakes                                    08
8.  Essential oils                               08
9.  Fibre crops                                  05
10.  Live stock, Dairy and                       10
     poultry products
11.  Other products                              30
                                           
           TOTAL                                  203
Q.5.  From where we can get the names of these 203 commodities?
Ans.  The names of 203 commodities can  be obtained from the agmarknet website by
clicking on the icon “Grade and Standards” under the head “List of commodities for which
Agmark Grade Standards have been formulated  and notified under  the Agricultural
Produce (G&M) Act, 1937”.
Q. 6. Who is implementing the provisions of the Act and the Rules?
Ans. Directorate of Marketing and Inspection,  an attached office of the Department of
Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India is implementing
the provisions of the Rules.  
Q. 7. What is the legal back up for notifying Organic Agricultural Produce Grading
and Marking Rules, 2009.
Ans. Organic Agricultural Produce Grading and Marking Rules, 2009 have been notified
as per the provision in Section 3 of the Agricultural Produce (Grading & Marking) Act,
1937.   These Rules provide for organic certification of agricultural commodities included
in the Schedule appended to the Act.  The Rules can be accessed at the website
http://agmarknet.nic.in by clicking on the window “Organic Certification”.  Q.8. Which commodities are covered for organic certification under Agmark?
Ans. All commodities included in the schedule  under the Act are covered for organic
certification under Agmark.

Q.9. Which standards are prescribed for organic certification under Agmark ?
Ans. Organic certification under Agmark shall be carried out as per the standards
prescribed in National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) notified by the Director
General of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, vide
notification No. 72 (RE-2003)/2002-2007 dated the 21
st
 July, 2004 and as revised from
time to time and Specific Commodity Grading and Marking Rules.   NPOP and various
Specific Commodity Grading and Marking  Rules can be accessed at the website:
http://agmarknet.nic.in  by clicking on the icon “Grades and Standards”.

Q. 10. What is Organic  Agriculture?
Ans. National Programme for Organic Production defines organic agriculture as a system
of farm design and management to create an eco system, which can achieve sustainable
productivity without the use of artificial external inputs such as chemical fertilizers and
pesticides.  
Q.11. Who is eligible for grant of Certificate of Authorisation for carrying out
organic certification under Agmark?
Ans. Any Accreditated Inspection and Certification Agency under the National
Programme for Organic Production is eligible to apply for seeking Certificate of
Authorisation.   At present 18 agencies are accreditated under the National Programme
for Organic Production.

Q. 12. How can a Accreditated Inspection  and Certification Agency (AICA)  get
Certificate of Authorization for certification of organic agricultural commodities
under Agmark?
Ans. The AICA desirous to get Certificate of Authorization for organic certification under
Agmark has to comply with the requirements in Rule 3 of General Grading and Marking
Rules, 1988, Rule 9 of Organic Agricultural Produce Grading and Marking Rules, 2009
and requirements in Specific Commodity Grading and Marking Rules.  The details can be
had from the Guidelines for grant of C.A. for organic certification available on the website :
http://agmarknet.nic.in  by clicking on the window “Organic Certification”. Q. 13. How can a person /grower group get their agricultural produce certified as
organic under Agmark?
Ans. The person(s) can get registered with the Certificate of Authorisation holder as a
Licensed Operator.  They may contact the Certificate of Authorisation holder for details of
getting registered as a Licensed Operator.  The names and addresses of the C.A. holders
can be accessed at the website.

Q. 14. How can a consumer know that a organic product is certified under Agmark?
Ans. All agricultural commodities grown and/or processed organically and certified under
Agmark have  Agmark India Organic Insignia printed on the container.  Consumers
should check the Agmark India Organic insignia, batch number./lot number, date of
packing  and best before date while making the purchase.  Consumer should ensure that
container is properly sealed and is not tampered with.