AGMARK License plays a crucial role in determining the standards of agricultural products on a broad scale and also establishes a paradigm for the maintenance of the quality of such products. AGMARK License explicitly authorizes a farmer or agricultural businessman to sell his/her products or substances in a well-organized format. AGMARK License adjoins the framework of agriculture operational management with the ideal structural pattern of law systematically. AGMARK License allows the trading of agricultural material influentially without any future difficulties. It permits the person to reinforce the comprehensive scope of successful agricultural business on a wide plane. Therefore, every farmer must possess an AGMARK License to channelize an efficacious model of agricultural development robustly. AGMARK License is a necessity for all those who want to indulge in the regulation of agricultural products selling in a systematic procedural manner in accordance with the set of rules and regulations accentuated in the Farms Act, 2020.

What is AGMARK License?

The certification mark Agricultural Mark License, also known as AGMARK License, is accepted in India as a means of guaranteeing the excellence of agricultural products. All agriculture-based products that are produced in India and used there are given with AGMARK as a Third-Party Guarantee.

The AGMARK License was first used in 1934 by Archibald MacDonald Livingstone, who was the authorized representative of the Agricultural and Marketing Advisory under the approval of the Government of India. He enforced the mandatory issuance of the AGMARK License to aid local farmers and lessen the likelihood of exploitation by dealers, buyers, or traders of agricultural produce.

Aim of AGMARK License

The following are the objectives of the AGMARK License:

·         Grading is used for both local and international trade, with the main goal of the AGMARK License being to provide consumers with high-quality, pure agricultural products.

·         The following items listed below are covered by the AGMARK License:

·         Products for agriculture and horticulture

·         Along with agricultural items that have undergone some processing, food, and beverages are made entirely or in part.

Qualifying Standards

The Grading and Marking Criteria listed below are necessary for someone to be eligible to apply for their specific agricultural commodity’s AGMARK License:

·         Exposure to the critical services for processing the agricultural product must be available to the applicant.

·         The applicant must possess a laboratory that has received approval from the appropriate staff or must own the necessary laboratory for the grading and marking of the agricultural product.

·         The applicant is only eligible to submit an application for the issuance of the Certification of Authorization under the relevant DMI Office once they have satisfied the requirements outlined above.

·         After successfully completing the verification process, which could take between 30 and 40 days, the Certification of Authorization is issued.

Essential Documentation

The following documents are necessary for the application submission process for the issuance of the AGMARK License:

·         A copy of the partnership declaration or proprietorship declaration, if appropriate

·         A duplicate of the Memorandum of Article, generally known as the MOA, and the Article of Association, also known as the AOA

·         The arrangement of the premises displaying the accurate measurements that have been legally certified and approved by the authorized staff

·         The following declarations must be submitted with a self-attested stamp paper with a minimum cost of INR 100:

·         Manifestation of proprietorship of the property

·         The Trade Brand Label sometimes referred to as TBL, belongs to its owner.

·         Only goods that have been graded using the AGMARK are eligible for the usage of the Trade Brand Label.

·         The “Food Grade” packaging material used to package products with an AGMARK approval

·         If the property is rented or leased for production purposes, a letter of consent from the owner of the premises is required.

·         A copy of the Trade Brand Label for each particular agricultural product

·         A copy of the Medical Fitness Test Certification issued by a Registered Medical Practitioner certifying the agricultural product handlers hired for numerous operations that have not been diagnosed with any infectious or contagious diseases.

·         If the packager develops a laboratory to grade the product being produced, the list of all the chemicals and equipment used in the lab

·         If a packager wants to grade agricultural products at a state-approved grading laboratory, a commercial laboratory, a commercial association, or a cooperative laboratory, a consent letter must be provided for the approved laboratory.

·         A copy of the food grain storage license for agricultural products made from grains, such as rice, beans, cereals of various kinds, wheat or Atta, semolina or Suji, refined wheat flour or Maida, chickpea flour or Besan, etc.

Application Process

The procedure for submitting paperwork for the registration of the AGMARK License is as follows:

·         The applicant is required to obtain the necessary Form – A from the relevant Directorate of Marketing and Inspection Office. The purpose of the From – A is to authorize the grading and marking of agricultural products for local markets.

·         The applicant must include all the necessary supporting documentation together with the application form.

·         The applicant must also include the necessary annexure, such as Grading Charges, Processing Fees, etc., with the application. These annexures must also include the applicable registration charge, which must be sent in the form of a demand draught.

·         The Consent Letter must be attested with Form – A – 3 once the applicant has obtained permission from the accredited laboratory.

·         An authorized Medically Licensed Chemist^[1] must undertake to test all raw materials and processed goods before beginning any packaging of agricultural products.

·         The applicant must submit Form A–4 in its whole together with the necessary amount to renew their AGMARK license.

Conclusion

The aforementioned text imparts an unambiguous picturesque concerning the AGMARK License in a detailed format. AGMARK License emphasizes an urgent need for the registration of agricultural businesses to regulate the affairs concerning it efficiently. AGMARK License plays a significant role in the systematic management of agricultural corporations on a wide platform. Our legal luminaries at BizAdvisors.io provide a robust support system in the context of assisting individuals in easily getting an AGMARK License to regulate their agricultural product systemization in a well-organized format. You can freely contact our legal consultants at BizAdvisors.io for any kind of assistance or support concerning the AGMARK License.

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