Lok Sabha Question No. 5862 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-03
Subject: Certification of Agro-Products
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SANTOSH KUMAR, HARI OM PANDEY, (SMT.) RATNA DE(NAG), MANOJ KUMAR TIWARI, MAMTAZ SANGHAMITA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5862

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 3 RD  APRIL, 2018

## CERTIFICATION OF AGRO-PRODUCTS

5862.      SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR: SHRI HARI OM PANDAY: DR. RATNA DE (NAG): SHRI MANOJ TIWARI: DR. MAMTAZ SANGHAMITA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  any  mechanism  to  certify  the  agro  products  made  by different companies in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise including Bihar;
- (c) whether any nodal officer has been appointed for the same and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a) & (b): Yes,  Madam.   The agro products made by different companies in the country are certified  under Agricultural Produce (Grading & Marking) Act 1937 (AP (G&M) Act), popularly known as AGMARK.

AGMARK is a certification mark for agricultural produce, assuring that they conform to a grade standard notified by Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare.

DMI  an attached office of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare is implementing Agmark Certification under AP(GM) Act 1937 through its 11 Regional Offices, 27 Sub Offices,  11 Regional Agmark Laboratories (RALs) and 1 Central Agmark Laboratory (CAL).  Additionally  there  are  98  State  Agmark  Grading  laboratories,  68  private  commercial laboratories for domestic trade and 23 private commercial laboratories for exports.

Till  date,  grade  standards  for  222  agricultural  commodities  have  been  notified.  Groupwise list of the commodities, for which AGMARK grade standards have been formulated under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937, are at  Annexure-I.

The companies which meet the compliance to the requirements of General and Specific Grading & Marking Rules under AP (GM) Act are issued Certificate of Authorization (CA) for manufacturing/  packaging  of  agro  products.  The  number  of  such  Certificate  of  Authorization issued by Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI), state wise are at Annexure-II.

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) also gives certification mark license for following agro products:

Tapioca  Sago  (Sabudana);  Wheat  Atta;  Edible  Tapioca  Starch;    Malt  Extract;  Soluble Coffee Chicory Powder; Edible Groundnut Flour;  Roasted Groundnut (Peanut) Kernels.

The state wise BIS certification mark license issued is at Annexure-III

(c): Yes,  Madam.  Though  there  are  no  nodal  officers  appointed,  however,  authorized officers of DMI at 11 Regional and 27 Sub Offices, are implementing Agmark Certification.

The BIS Certification mark scheme is implemented through its branch offices throughout India.

(d): In view of (c) above, the Question does not arise.

GROUPWISE LIST OF THE COMMODITIES FOR WHICH AGMARK GRADE STANDARDS HAVE BEEN FORMULATED UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE (GRADING AND MARKING) ACT, 1937

Name of the Group: No. of commodities notified

1. Food grain and allied products 30
2. Fruits and Vegetables 57
3. Spices and condiments 27
4. Edible Nuts 8
5. Oil Seeds 17
6. Vegetable Oils and Fats 19
7. Oil cakes 8
8. Essential oils 8
9. Fibre crops 5
10. Live stock, Dairy and 10 poultry products
11. Other products 33

------------------

TOTAL

222

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## State-wise details of Certificate of Authorization (CA) for domestic trade

| S. No.   | Name of the State   |   Number of Certificate of Authorization |
|----------|---------------------|------------------------------------------|
| 1.       | Andhra Pradesh      |                                      250 |
| 2.       | Arunachal Pradesh   |                                        0 |
| 3.       | Assam               |                                       14 |
| 4.       | Bihar               |                                        4 |
| 5.       | Chandigarh          |                                        9 |
| 6.       | Chhattisgarh        |                                       12 |
| 7.       | Delhi               |                                      190 |
| 8.       | Goa                 |                                        0 |
| 9.       | Gujarat             |                                      320 |
| 10.      | Haryana             |                                      117 |
| 11.      | Himachal Pradesh    |                                       25 |
| 12.      | Jammu & Kashmir     |                                       67 |
| 13.      | Jharkhand           |                                        0 |
| 14.      | Karnataka           |                                      110 |
| 15.      | Kerala              |                                      112 |
| 16.      | Madhya Pradesh      |                                      339 |
| 17.      | Maharastra          |                                      314 |
| 18.      | Manipur             |                                        0 |
| 19.      | Meghalaya           |                                        1 |
| 20.      | Mizoram             |                                        0 |
| 21.      | Nagaland            |                                        2 |
| 22.      | Odisha              |                                        6 |
| 23.      | Pudducherry         |                                        6 |
| 24.      | Punjab              |                                      182 |
| 25.      | Rajasthan           |                                      389 |
| 26.      | Sikkim              |                                        0 |
| 27.      | Tamil Nadu          |                                     1007 |
| 28.      | Telangana           |                                      278 |
| 29.      | Tripura             |                                        1 |
| 30.      | Uttar Pradesh       |                                      340 |
| 31.      | Uttrakhand          |                                       31 |
| 32.      | West Bengal         |                                       46 |
| Total    | Total               |                                     4172 |

## ANNEXURE - III

## State wise of BIS Certification Mark Licences for Agro Products

| Items                              | State                    | No. of Licences   |
|------------------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------|
| Tapioca Sago Sabudana              | Tamil Nadu               | 02                |
| Wheat Atta                         | Tamil Nadu               | 01                |
| Edible Tapioca Starch              | Tamil Nadu               | 01                |
| Malt Extract                       | Punjab                   | 01                |
| Soluble Coffe Chicory Powder       | Andhra Pradesh Telangana | 01 01             |
| Edible Groundnut Flour             | Tamil Nadu               | 02                |
| Roasted Groundnut (Peanut) Kernels | Tamil Nadu               | 01                |

Note: There is no licensee having BIS Certification Mark Licence for Agro Products in Bihar State.

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