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Many of us have heard about FSSAI and AGMARK and consider both interchangeable terms. It is very important to know about these certifications and their implications as a consumer. Here we will bring you some basic information about both FSSAI certification and AGMARK and how they differ from each other. In this article, we will discuss the difference between FSSAI and AGMARK.
Table of Contents
In the year 2011, FSSAI was created as a unified certification meant for the regulation of food quality and safety. A few decades back, there were a lot of laws and acts regulating food safety.
Some of the major laws that existed during those times were Vegetable Oil Products Order 1947, Food Adulteration Act 1954, Meat Products Order 1973, Fruit Products Order 1955 and Milk Products Order 1992. All these acts and orders have been made redundant with a single FSSAI Certification, which speaks volumes about the significance of this certification. Today, any person involved in the manufacture, storage, distribution, importation, and sale of food needs to acquire an FSSAI Certification.
Agricultural Mark or AGMARK Certification is issued by Directorate of Marketing and Inspection for agricultural produce. This Certification was issued in order to make sure that the Agricultural Produce Grading and Marking Act 1937, and 1986 was implemented properly. It can be understood in a very simple manner. The seller, who is selling fruits, rice, milk, pulses, etc., needs to acquire an AGMARK Certification, which denotes that the limit of pesticides in these products is well within stipulated or prescribed limit.
It is basically a seal of quality which is given only after checking the quality of the products. Conversely, FSSAI License not only covers the manufacturing but the quality, safety, packaging, and sale of all food items.
In India, there are many other “Mark” certifications that are given for a variety of products:
FPO – for processed food products
ISI Mark – for industrial products
NPV – non-polluting vehicle (Bharat Stage standards)
AgMark – for agricultural produce
BIS Hall Mark – for gold jewellery
Eco-Label – for eco-friendly products
India Organic – for organically grown food
In India, there is no dearth of product certifications that are given on a wide-ranging list of products. There are many Acts that have been made by the Indian Parliament, which is legally binding on the business owners. One cannot undermine the importance of food laws and acts, and the reason why they are one of the most scrutinized laws in the country. These acts help to ensure the safety and health of the consumers by ensuring the quality of food and food products. FSSAI and AGMARK license[1] are the two major certifications.
As most of the people believe, these are not two similar certifications and differ in a variety of details. Some of the differences are discussed below.
Under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), a variety of acts and orders pertaining to the food-related issues have been consolidated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The objective behind the establishment of FSSAI was to set standards for different food articles and regulate their storage, manufacture, sale, distribution, and import. By doing this, the agency ensures wholesome and safe availability of food for human consumption.
FSSAI Performs Several Functions, Some of them are:
The Directorate of Marketing and Inspection enforces the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marketing) Act, 1937. Under this Act, grade standards are prescribed for agriculture.
AGMARK is a Quality Certification Mark. It ensures the quality and purity of a product. It acts as a Third Party Guarantee to Quality Certified.
Quality standards for agricultural commodities are framed based on their intrinsic quality. Food safety factors are being incorporated into the standards to compete in world trade.
Standards are being harmonized with international standards, keeping in view the WTO requirements. Certification of agricultural commodities is carried out for the benefit of the producer/manufacturer and the consumer.
Products available under AGMARK are as follows:
The benefits of having AGMARK are as follows:
The benefits of having FSSAI License are as follows:
It is noteworthy to mention that FSSAI helps in controlling and improving the functioning of food business in India and AGMARK functions to improve and control the agricultural products.
Read our article:FSSAI: Decides to Food Map the classifications under the FSS Act with HS Code
Ashish M. Shaji has done his graduation in law (BA. LLB) from CCS University. He has keen interests in doing extensive research and writing on legal subjects especially on corporate law. He is a creative thinker and has a great interest in exploring legal subjects.
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