No.

Q-11047/10/PPI/96-QC
Government of India
Ministry of Agriculture
Department of Agriculture and Cooperation
Directorate of Marketing & Inspection
New CGO Complex, NH-IV, Faridabad
Dated

08.02.08

OFFICE ORDER NO. 2/2008

In pursuance of Rules 10(5) and 10(6) of the General Grading and Marking Rules,
1988 and in supersession of Office Order No. 3/97 dated 29th August, 1997, following
revised guidelines are issued for permission to a printing press for undertaking printing of
Agmark replica on all types of container packages.
1.

General Provisions:-

1.1
Looking at the problems being faced by the Authorized Packers in undertaking
Agmark Certification Programme, utilizing the services of only a pre-permitted Printing
Press, the earlier guidelines are relaxed to provide for that an Authorized Packer shall be
free to engage from a specified date, a Printing Press, which fulfils all the qualifying
criteria given in these guidelines after giving a prior intimation of such engagement in the
manner prescribed herein, and such Printing Press should be treated as deemed to be
permitted from such specified date of engagement pending the post-facto permission to
the Printing Press by the AMA or an officer authorized by him.
1.2
An Authorized Packer shall be free to further engage an existing permitted
Printing Press after the date of expiry of such permission by giving a prior intimation as
stated above.
2.

Qualifying Criteria for Printing Press:-

2.1
The printing press shall be a well established unit, working in the field for a
minimum period of 3 years and should not have been set up by or associated with the
Authorized Packer concerned.
2.2
The printing unit shall have in house machinery for printing of Agmark replica
and serial numbers, wherever applicable.
2.3
The printing press shall have the facilities for security and safe keeping of the
printing material and printed material.
2.4
There should be proper documentation system of various printing works
undertaken by the firm.

2.5
In case of tin containers, apart from facilities for printing of replica on tin sheets,
facilities for fabrication of containers from the sheets shall also be available.
2.6
The printer shall ensure that only food grade material is used for the manufacture
of all types of containers for printing of Agmark replica.
2.7
The printer shall use right quality of printing ink and shall ensure that printing ink
does not contaminate the products packed in the packages.
2.8
As a measure of check, that only food grade material has been used in the
manufacture of containers, the Directorate may get such packaging material tested from
time to time.
3.

Procedure for permitting the Printing Presses:-

3.1
The packer/printer shall submit an advance intimation of engagement of the
printing press in the format given at Annexures-I and II duly sponsored by an authorized
packer to the Regional or Sub-Office of the Directorate under whose jurisdiction the
sponsoring packer is situated, irrespective of the location of the printing press.
3.2
The officer-in-charge shall arrange to conduct inspection of the printing press if
located in its jurisdiction or shall forward it to the concerned office for inspection under
whose jurisdiction the printing press is located, within a period of two weeks from the
date of receipt of intimation to verify the details submitted.
3.3
The printing press shall not be inspected by an officer below the rank of Senior
Marketing Officer/ Marketing Officer with 12 years of experience and based on the
Inspection Report the post-facto permission shall be granted within a period of two weeks
from the date of inspection by an Officer authorized by the AMA under the Gazette
Notification dated 02.08.2005, in whose jurisdiction the authorized packer is located.
3.4
Based on an Inspection Report, if the Printing Press is found to be not suitable for
engagement, the Officer authorized by AMA shall report the matter to the AMA within a
period of two weeks from the date of Inspection and AMA shall direct the concerned
packer to terminate its engagement with immediate effect and recall the products from
market printed with designation mark under Agmark through that Printing Press after the
specified date of engagement.
3.5
After acceptance of a Printing Press and declaring it as permitted, the concerned
office of the Directorate shall keep inspecting the printing press, as and when required,
but shall compulsorily re-inspect it at the end of every two years.
3.6
Based on the Inspection Report, the Officer authorized by the AMA of the
concerned RO/SO shall further continue the permitted status of the Press but in case of an
adverse Inspection Report at any point of time, he shall report matter to the AMA within

a period of two weeks from the date of such Inspection, and AMA shall direct the
concerned packer to terminate the engagement of the concerned Printing Press with
immediate effect and intimate de novo for the engagement of another suitable Printing
Press.
3.7
The permission granted to a printing press may be suspended at any time without
giving any notice, if the competent authority has reasons to believe that
instructions/guidelines issued are not being followed properly.
3.8
The permission given to a Printing Press may be cancelled at any time if the
competent authority is satisfied that instructions/guidelines issued are not being followed
by the Printing unit. A notice shall however, be issued and printer shall be given an
opportunity to furnish his reply on the notice issued within 14 days.
4.

Special Provisions:-

4.1
With regard to certain aspects a special relaxation may be granted by AMA, but
such Printing Presses shall not be eligible for engagement by the Authorized Packers
subject to post-facto permission by AMA or Officer authorized by him and they would be
engaged by the Authorized Packers only after obtaining permission of AMA. Such
aspects would be:(a)
(b)
(c)

Permission for a new Printing Press, having requisite facilities and

infrastructure but not having an experience of 3 years.
Permission for a Printing Press set up by or associated with an Authorized
Packer, if there is a genuine need.
Permission for a Printing Press without fabrication facilities, if there is a
genuine case, where fabrication is undertaken by another unit having tie
up arrangement with the printer.

(U.K.S. Chauhan)
Agricultural Marketing Adviser
to the Govt. of India

To
All ROs/SOs of DMI

Annexure-I
Intimation for the Acceptance of Printing Press
To
The Dy. Agricultural Marketing Adviser/ Asstt. Agricultural Marketing Adviser /
Senior Marketing Officer,
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
Subject: Intimation for permission to the Printing Press for printing of Agmark Insignia.
Sir,
I/We ______________________ (Name of applicant) of M/s _____________
(Name of the Printing Press) is proposed to be engaged for printing of Agmark replica on
____________________________ (type of packaging material) for Agmark authorized
packer(s) w.e.f. _________. Our Printing Press is situated at _____________________
(address of press).
I/We have carefully gone through the guidelines for permission to the printing
presses issued by Agricultural Marketing Adviser to the Government of India.
I/We hereby agree to abide by the instructions issued or that may be issued in this
regard from time to time.
Yours faithfully,

(Name of the applicant)

Status
Place:
Date:
(To be filled by sponsors)
I/We ______________ (Name of applicant)____________ of M/s
_______________ (Name of firm) _________________ am/are authorized to grade and
mark _________________(Name of commodity) _____________________ under
Agmark. Our C.A. No. is __________ dated ______________.
I/We propose to engage M/s ________________ (Name of printing press)
_______________ who have been in the printing business since ___________ to

undertake the printing of Agmark replica on ________________ (type of packing

material) _________________ for our firm w.e.f.______________.

Yours faithfully,

Place:
Date:

Annexure-II

Particulars to be furnished for permission to the Printing Press for printing of

Agmark Replica.
1.

Name of printing press

2.

(a) Full postal address.

(Registered Office, if any)
(b) Address of the place where press is
located.
(Map of the premises duly signed
by responsible person of the firm
may be enclosed)
(c) Telephone and mobile phone no.
and names, designation of the
contact person(s)
Status of the firm.
(Proprietorship/ Partnership/ Pvt. Ltd.)
(Copies of Articles of Association/
Partnership dead/ Declaration of
proprietorship of the firm duly signed
by responsible person of the firm may
be enclosed)
Any change in the name, style or
address of the printing unit shall be
informed to the concerned office of
the Directorate, immediately.

3.

Name(s) of the proprietor/ partners/

Directors etc.

Period for which the Press is in the

printing business.

6.

Whether the Press has been earlier

approved for Agmark Work, and, if
so, the date of expiry of such approval.

7.

Please give Sales Tax /VAT Numbers

i) State Sales Tax/ VAT .

ii) Central Sales Tax ..

8.

Name and designation of two

responsible persons who will attend to
the
printing
and
related
correspondence.

9.

Details of printing machines possessed by the Printing Press:-

Sl. No.
(1)
(2)
(3)

(4)

(5)
(6)
(7)

(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)

10.

Name of the machine

Make, size and model of the machine
DTP facilities (No. of
Terminals)
Colour
inkjet/laser
printer
Drum / Flat bed
scanner
having
resolution of 4000 dpi
or above
Planning facilities i.e.
computers and licensed
software available
Image setter
CTP Machine
(a)
Plate
making
equipment
(b) plate processor
Four
colour
CPC
Machine
Four colour Machine
Single colour machine
Power back-up

Details of other required machineries (specially for printing on tin sheets and for
fabrication of containers from the sheets installed in the printing press.

Sl. Name of machinery

No.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

Nos.

Capacity

Any addition/ alteration of the printing machinery shall be informed to all

concerned offices of the Directorate immediately.

11. (a) In case of tin printing, whether the

in-house arrangement is available for
printing of sheets and fabrication of
tins
(b) If the facility for fabrication of tins
is not available with printer, mention
the name of fabrication unit with
whom the tie-up is arranged.
(Affidavit to this effect may be
obtained).

12. Date from which the Press is proposed

to been engaged for printing of
Agmark replica on all types of
containers/packages.

13. An affidavit in the prescribed format

is enclosed (Annexure-III).

Annexure-III
AFFIDAVIT ( On Non Judicial Stamp Paper)

1.

I am competent to represent the firm M/s ______________ and sign this

affidavit.

2.

That we have been in the printing business for _____ years and are able to
take up the printing job of high security nature.

3.

That we have all machineries for doing the printing job.

4.

That we agree to do the printing of Agmark Replica on ______________

(Type of containers/ packages).

5.

That we have all security arrangements for keeping/ storing the replica
bearing containers/packages in safe custody till the same is supplied to the
party.

6.

That we have all security arrangements for keeping/ storing the die/block used
for printing Agmark Replica.

7.

That we agree to abide by the rules and instructions framed thereon by

Agricultural Marketing Adviser to the Government of India or an officer
authorized in this regard.

8.

That we will maintain proper accounts for replica bearing containers.

9.

That we will allow any officer of the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection
so authorized, to inspect the premises, records, containers meant for printing
replica and other materials related in this regard.

DEPONENT
VERIFICATION
I, hereby solemnly affirm and declare that the contents above are true and correct
to the best of my knowledge and belief that nothing has been concealed therefrom.
Verified at _______________
This day _______________
Date
_______________