VAE 511: Livestock Entrepreneurship (1+0)

STANDARDISATION FACILITIES IN INDIA

• Directorate of Marketing and Inspection has a set up for quality certification of agricultural produce through the net work of 22 Regional Agmark Laboratories at different places in the country with Central Agmark Laboratory, Nagpur as the apex laboratory.
• 250 technical persons are working in these laboratories.
• These laboratories have been established to formulate standards and conduct physical and chemical analysis of agricultural and allied commodities in accordance with APGM Act 1937.

Central Agmark Laboratory has the following specialized commodity divisions for carrying out research and standardization work more efficiently.

• Agricultural Products (Foodgrains)
• Spices and Essential Oils
• Oils and Fats
• General Chemistry
• Livestock Products including microbiology
• Toxicology

The main functions of Central Agmark Laboratory are:

• To work as apex laboratory for challenged sample under APGM Act 1937.
• To evolve/standardize methods of analysis/tests of agricultural and allied commodities and meat products.
• To advise on technical matters to various quality control agencies and State Government Grading Laboratories, in relation to grading of various agricultural commodities, food under Agmark.
• Formulation of specifications for new commodities for bringing under the purview of Agmark.Revision of specifications of various agricultural, allied products, meat products etc. periodically.
• Training to the personnel engaged in the analysis of various commodities under Agmark.
• To create awareness with regard to grading, standardisation and quality of various agricultural and food products.

The Regional Agmark Laboratories are engaged in analysis of agricultural and food commodities for evaluating the quality of the product.

• The main activities of Regional Agmark Laboratories are as follows:
  • Analysis of commodities covered under Agmark.
  • Technical advice to approved grading laboratories
  • Training of Grading chemists of the private approved lab., State Grading Lab and other similar organization.
  • Associate with Central Agmark Laboratory, in collaborative studies/research/standardization work of various agricultural, food and livestock products.
  • To organize awareness programmes in grading, standardisation and quality control.

AGMARK

• Quality Grading and Certification for : Export and Domestic Trade
• Farm Level Grading : Grading at Producer's Level.
• Quality Certification Mark : AGMARK
• Acts as : Third Party Guarantee to Quality Certified.
• Legal Backup : Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking ) Act, 1937 as amended in 1986.

AGRMARK Grades given for the following livestock products

• Animal casings
• Bristles
• Creamery butter
• Ghee
• Goat hair
• Hides
• Raw meat (chilled or frozen)
• Skins
• Table eggs and
• Wool