If you export agricultural products covered by APEDA's scheduled product list — Basmati rice, meat, poultry, fresh fruits, vegetables, processed food — you must hold a valid APEDA RCMC (Registration-cum-Membership Certificate). Without it, you cannot export these products legally from India.
APEDA RCMC
Mandatory for scheduled export products
AGMARK
Voluntary grading and marking — adds value
Phytosanitary
Mandatory for plant product exports to most countries
APEDA oversees exports of specific agricultural and processed food products from India. If your company exports agricultural products, APEDA registration is the foundation. AGMARK is India's official grading and quality certification for agricultural products.
RCMC
Registration-cum-Membership Certificate from APEDA
Scheduled products
Specific products require APEDA oversight
Grading
AGMARK grade standards published by DMAQS
Quick reference. APEDA: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority under MoCI. RCMC mandatory for scheduled products under APEDA Act 1985. Scheduled products: Basmati rice, non-Basmati rice, meat/poultry, dairy, fresh produce, cereals, floriculture, processed food. AGMARK: Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act 1937. Grading standards notified by DMI (Directorate of Marketing and Inspection). Phytosanitary: International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). Issued by NPPO (National Plant Protection Organisation — PPQS under MoAFW).
APEDA Act 1985
Statutory basis
AGMARK 1937
Agricultural grading law
PPQS
Phytosanitary certificates
APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) was established in 1985 to develop and promote exports of scheduled agricultural products from India. It operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. AGMARK is India's official agricultural grade mark, introduced under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act 1937.
1937
AGMARK Act
1985
APEDA established
RCMC
Registration-cum-Membership Certificate
APEDA RCMC mandatory for export of scheduled agricultural productsAGMARK certification for graded and packed agricultural productsPhytosanitary certificate required for plant and plant product exports
What’s on this page
01 —What it isUnderstanding APEDA & AGMARK
India's framework for agricultural export — registration, grading, and phytosanitary certification.
APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) oversees the export of scheduled agricultural products from India. Any person or company exporting scheduled products must obtain a Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) from APEDA before the first export.
AGMARK is India's official agricultural product grading and marking scheme under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act 1937. It certifies that an agricultural product meets defined grade standards — providing assurance of quality to domestic and international buyers.
For exports of plant and plant products, a phytosanitary certificate issued by India's National Plant Protection Organisation (PPQS, under the Ministry of Agriculture) is required by most importing countries — confirming the consignment is free from regulated pests and diseases.
APEDA RCMC, AGMARK, and phytosanitary are three separate requirements. APEDA RCMC is the exporter registration. AGMARK is product quality grading. Phytosanitary is plant health certification for the importing country. All three may be required for the same consignment.
👥 Illustrative case — details changed for confidentiality
The business
Basmati rice exporter Amritsar · 55 employees, exporting to Middle East and Europe
The trigger
A new buyer in the UK asked for documentation confirming APEDA registration, pesticide residue compliance, and phytosanitary certification for their first order.
The challenge
They had APEDA RCMC but their pesticide residue test records from the previous season were from a non-NABL lab — which the UK buyer's food safety team rejected. The phytosanitary certificate had also expired before the shipment reached the UK.
Where Clicarity came in
They restructured their export documentation process in Clicarity. Each consignment was a job with stages for procurement, testing, processing, packing by grade, phytosanitary inspection, APEDA certification, and despatch. The testing stage required a NABL lab confirmation before it could be signed off. Two rice grades ran as sub-jobs with separate AGMARK labels.
The result
UK buyer order fulfilled. Buyer placed a repeat order for the next season.
Having the documentation organised by consignment — not scattered across emails and folders — made the buyer's food safety review straightforward.
02 —Who needs itIs it right for you?
Do you actually need it? Honest answer.
✓ APEDA RCMC mandatory
Exporters of Basmati and non-Basmati rice
Exporters of fresh fruits and vegetables
Exporters of meat, poultry, and dairy products
Exporters of processed food and cereal preparations
Exporters of floriculture and horticulture products
∼ AGMARK adds value
Domestic agricultural product sellers wanting a quality assurance mark
Processors wanting to differentiate on graded quality
— APEDA not required
Exporters of non-agricultural products — different export compliance applies
03 —What it requiresWhat is checked
APEDA RCMC, AGMARK, and phytosanitary — what each requires.
1
APEDA RCMC — registration before first export
Apply at aped.net.in. Required for all exporters of scheduled products. RCMC renewed annually.
E.g. Company name, IEC (Import Export Code), bank details, product category. Fee paid online.
2
Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT
APEDA RCMC requires a valid IEC. Apply at dgft.gov.in before APEDA registration.
E.g. IEC is a 10-digit code issued by DGFT to every exporter.
3
Product testing before export
Most importing countries require pesticide residue test reports, microbiological reports, or heavy metal analysis. Tests from NABL-accredited and APEDA-recognised laboratories.
E.g. Pesticide residue test for Basmati rice to EU — from APEDA-approved laboratory. Results within EU MRL limits.Most common rejection cause: Tests from non-NABL or non-approved laboratories not accepted by destination country food safety authorities.
4
AGMARK certification (where required or desired)
For AGMARK certification, apply to the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI) or an AGMARK-approved laboratory. Product graded against notified standards.
E.g. Basmati rice Grade 1 — conforms to AGMARK standard for long grain, aged rice. Certificate from DMI.
5
Phytosanitary certificate from PPQS
For plant and plant products, a phytosanitary certificate is issued by the Plant Protection and Quarantine Station (PPQS) after inspection of the consignment.
E.g. Phytosanitary certificate for vegetable export: inspected by quarantine officer, no regulated pests found, certificate issued per IPPC format.
6
Fumigation certificate (where required)
Many importing countries require fumigation of grain, dried fruit, and wooden packaging. Certificate issued by approved fumigation service provider.
E.g. Wheat export to UAE: methyl bromide or phosphine fumigation, certificate from approved provider.
What inspectors really check
APEDA conducts inspection of registered exporters. Destination country food safety authorities can reject consignments at port if test reports are not from approved labs, phytosanitary certificates are not current, or product does not meet declared specifications.
Gap analysis checklist — tick what you already have
APEDA RCMC current and renewed
Annual renewal at apeda.net.in.
IEC (Import Export Code) valid
DGFT registration current.
Product tested at NABL-accredited, APEDA-approved lab
Test reports for pesticide residues, micro, and heavy metals as required.
Phytosanitary certificate for plant product consignments
From PPQS — valid for the consignment.
AGMARK grade confirmed and labelled (where required)
Grade and certificate on packaging.
Fumigation certificate (if required by destination country)
From approved fumigation service.
0 of 6 complete
04 —Official bodyWho certifies in India
Who issues this in India — and how to verify it.
APEDA is under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. AGMARK is under the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI), Ministry of Agriculture. Phytosanitary certificates are issued by the PPQS (Plant Protection and Quarantine Stations) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare.
Apply at apeda.net.in directly. No agent or intermediary is required for APEDA RCMC. The portal is a government self-service system.
Based on apeda.gov.in. Actual timelines vary. Confirm with your CB.
APEDA & AGMARK Journey
Step 1
Obtain IEC from DGFT
Import Export Code — required before APEDA.
Step 2
Register for APEDA RCMC
At apeda.net.in. Annual renewal.
Step 3
Identify destination country requirements
Pesticide residue limits, phytosanitary requirements, any product-specific certifications.
Step 4
Commission testing from approved labs
NABL-accredited and APEDA-approved.
Step 5
Obtain phytosanitary certificate
PPQS inspection before despatch.
Consignment
Despatch
All documents compiled: RCMC, test reports, phytosanitary, AGMARK, fumigation if required.
▶Where to begin: Use the checklist in Section 3 to assess your readiness before contacting any CB.
APEDA RCMC
Annual renewal
At apeda.net.in.
IEC required first
DGFT registration
Prerequisite for APEDA.
Phytosanitary
Per consignment
From PPQS before despatch.
Test lab
NABL + APEDA approved
Both required for export test acceptance.
Pesticide residue test labs must be both NABL-accredited AND on APEDA's approved laboratory list. NABL alone is not sufficient. Check the APEDA approved lab list at apeda.gov.in before commissioning tests.
06 —Find certified companiesHow to verify
How to find and verify certified organisations.
APEDA registered exporters are listed on the APEDA website. AGMARK certified products can be verified through the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection.
How to verify: To confirm whether any organisation holds a current APEDA & AGMARK certification, use the official register. Verify the issuing CB's accreditation at nabcb.qci.org.in.
Check your destination country's import requirements for your specific product
Pesticide residue limits vary by country. EU MRLs are among the strictest globally. Check at eur-lex.europa.eu for EU, or your importer for other markets.
08 —How Clicarity fitsProcess tracking
Good records are the foundation. A process tracker builds them automatically.
Clicarity — Live Job Process Tracker & Bottleneck Identifier
Clicarity doesn't process your APEDA applications. It tracks each export consignment — ensuring testing, grading, phytosanitary inspection, and documentation are completed in sequence before despatch.
Agricultural export compliance requires multiple certifications, tests, and government approvals — in a specific sequence. A consignment despatched before phytosanitary inspection is a consignment rejected at the destination port. In Clicarity, each export consignment is a job. Testing, grading, and packing stages must be completed and signed off before the despatch stage is reachable. When a consignment has multiple product grades, each grade is packed and labelled as a sub-job independently. When they rejoin at the export documentation stage, the complete record of every grade is preserved.
Testing stage: NABL lab confirmation required before sign-off — preventing despatch on non-compliant test reports.
Each product grade packed as a separate sub-job with its own AGMARK label and quantity — separate records for Grade 1 and Grade 2 within the same consignment.
Phytosanitary and APEDA certification stages gate the despatch — the despatch stage cannot proceed until both certification stages are complete.
Clicarity shows which consignments are waiting at which stage — phytosanitary delays visible before they affect shipping dates.
▼ Job splits — each component tracked independently
#EXP-2026-14-A
Basmati aged — Grade 1 — 12 MT
#Qty packed
▼Packaging confirmed
▼AGMARK grade label
#EXP-2026-14-B
Basmati standard — Grade 2 — 8 MT
#Qty packed
▼Packaging confirmed
▼AGMARK grade label
▲
Components rejoin as #EXP-2026-14 — complete record of every branch, every data point, every sign-off preserved.
Phytosanitary inspection
▼Plant quarantine officer
📅Inspection date
▼Certificate issued
✎Phyto cert. no.
▼No pest found
→
APEDA certification
▼APEDA registration no.
✎Certificate no.
📅Issue date
▼Product code
▼Buyer confirmed
→
Customs & despatch
✎Shipping bill no.
📅Despatch date
✎Vessel / flight no.
▼BL / AWB copy
▼Buyer notified
Wastage tracked:▰ Grade 1 and Grade 2 packed and labelled as separate sub-jobs — different AGMARK grade labels▰ Phytosanitary and APEDA certification completed after both grades are packed▰ All export documents compiled at despatch stage
ⓘ Fields and stage names are fully customisable. This illustrates a typical agricultural export — Basmati rice, APEDA certified setup.
👥 Illustrative case — details changed for confidentiality
The business
Basmati rice exporter Amritsar · 55 employees, exporting to Middle East and Europe
The trigger
A new buyer in the UK asked for documentation confirming APEDA registration, pesticide residue compliance, and phytosanitary certification for their first order.
The challenge
They had APEDA RCMC but their pesticide residue test records from the previous season were from a non-NABL lab — which the UK buyer's food safety team rejected. The phytosanitary certificate had also expired before the shipment reached the UK.
Where Clicarity came in
They restructured their export documentation process in Clicarity. Each consignment was a job with stages for procurement, testing, processing, packing by grade, phytosanitary inspection, APEDA certification, and despatch. The testing stage required a NABL lab confirmation before it could be signed off. Two rice grades ran as sub-jobs with separate AGMARK labels.
The result
UK buyer order fulfilled. Buyer placed a repeat order for the next season.
Having the documentation organised by consignment — not scattered across emails and folders — made the buyer's food safety review straightforward.
Clicarity is a process tracking tool. It does not provide certification, consulting, or audit services.