Agmark Certification: What the Mark Means on Honey and Ghee

Agmark certification is a grade mark for agricultural produce, and you will see it on packs of ghee, honey, spices, oils and flour. Also, it tells you the product met a grade standard set under Indian law. It does not replace a food safety licence, so it helps to know exactly what it covers before you rely on it.

What Agmark certification actually means

Agmark stands for Agricultural Marketing. According to FSSAI’s regulatory page on Agmark, it is a certification mark showing that a product meets a grade standard notified under the 1937 Act. The standards are issued by the DMI, also known as the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection.

In simple terms, a grade tells you about quality parameters for that commodity. So, it is a sorting system, much like grading eggs or rice. So the mark is about quality grade, not a promise of taste or freshness.

Is Agmark compulsory?

Mostly no. For most products, it is a voluntary mark that sellers choose to apply. However, FSSAI’s 2011 sale regulations make Agmark certification mandatory for blended edible vegetable oil and fat spread.

A few other products, such as ghee and honeydew, face conditional restrictions. So a pack without Agmark is not automatically illegal, and a pack with it is not automatically better for you.

Agmark and FSSAI: two different checks

The two work together. Also, a pack should carry an FSSAI licence number as a baseline, and Agmark can add a grade on top. You can verify the licence in minutes using our guide to checking an FSSAI licence number.

How to use the mark when you shop

First, look for the Agmark logo and the grade name on the pack. Then check the FSSAI licence number, the batch details and the best before date. Next, compare the ingredient list with what you expect, for example only milk fat in ghee.

Buy from sellers who store food properly, away from heat and sunlight. Also be wary of loose or unlabelled products sold as “Agmark quality”. A claim in words is not a certificate.

What Agmark cannot tell you

The mark does not tell you about the farm, the brand or how the product was stored after packing. It also does not mean a product suits your health needs. Anyone with an allergy or a medical diet must still read the full label.

Home tests for purity are another trap. Many viral tricks give wrong results, so use labels and licences, not kitchen experiments. Our guide to a milk purity test at home shows which simple checks FSSAI itself suggests.

Common mistakes

People often assume Agmark means “pure and safe for everything”. They also confuse it with the ISI mark, which belongs to a different standards system. Another error is trusting a logo on a hand-printed label without checking the pack details.

If you suspect a product is misleading, keep the pack and bill. You can then raise a complaint through FSSAI’s channels or a consumer forum.

FAQ

Is Agmark certification mandatory in India?

Mostly not. It is voluntary for most products, but it is compulsory for items such as blended edible vegetable oil and fat spread under FSSAI’s 2011 regulations.

Who gives the Agmark certificate?

The Directorate of Marketing and Inspection, which works under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It sets grade standards under the 1937 Act.

Is Agmark the same as an FSSAI licence?

No. Agmark shows a grade standard for the product. An FSSAI licence shows the business is registered for food safety. Look for both on a pack.