APEDA Registration

The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, commonly known as APEDA, was established in 1985 as per the prescriptions mentioned in the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act of 1985, aimed to develop and promote the export of scheduled products. It has been formed to offer financial assistance, guidelines, and information concerning planned product development. These prepared products have been listed in the Act mentioned above, and the exporters of such products are required to register themselves under the APEDA. In this article, we look at APEDA Registration and the essentials surrounding the same. Get your APEDA registration smoothly with IndiaFilings! Start your application process and unlock the benefits of exporting agricultural products with ease.

Objective

The following is the objective of the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority/ APEDA.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority/ APEDA aims to promote the export of scheduled products as per the APEDA Act and the Central Government.

To achieve this, various functions are undertaken under the regulations of the Central Government. Along with its implementation, the rules and regulations are taken care of by the Central Government through the APEDA for efficient administration.

Functions

The APEDA is vested with the following responsibilities.

Registration of individuals as exporters of scheduled products on the payment of the prescribed fee.
Development of Scheduled-Products Industries concerning exports by offering financial assistance, conducting surveys and feasibility studies, and participation in inquiry capital through joint ventures, other reliefs, and subsidy schemes.
For exports, we are calibrating the standards and specifications for scheduled products.
They are conducting inspections on meat and meat products in slaughterhouses, processing plants, storage premises, and conveyances, including other sites where such products are kept/ handled, to ensure the standard and quality of the said products.
We are enhancing the marketing scene of scheduled products around the world.
We are enhancing the packaging of scheduled products.
Promotion of the production and the development of scheduled products in export.
Training in multiple aspects of the sector that is interconnected with scheduled products.
They collect statistics on production, processing, packaging, marketing, and scheduled product export. This data would be collected from owners of factories or establishments or any individual as prescribed on any subject concerning expected outcomes. They could also be obtained from publications and extracts as well.

Products monitored by APEDA.

The APEDA is responsible for promoting and developing the export of the following products that come under the scheduled products category as per the APEDA Act.

Meat and meat products
Fruits, vegetables, and their products
Poultry and poultry products
Dairy products
Honey, jaggery, and sugar products
Confectionery, biscuits, and bakery products
Cocoa and its products, including chocolates of every kind.
Groundnuts, peanuts, and walnuts
Cereal and cereal products
Pickles, papads, and chutneys
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Guar gum
Herbal and medicinal plants
Floriculture and floriculture products

Along with these products, one of the primary responsibilities of the APEDA is to monitor the import of sugar.

Advantages of Registration

APEDA Registration is mandatory when it comes to the export of scheduled products. The following are the advantages of APEDA Registration.

Exporters may avail of various financial assistance schemes under the APEDA. APEDA provides rules, regulations, and guidelines to exporters on various products as per the concerned country for export.
The registration enhances the brand and helps exporters in terms of brand publicity through advertisements, packaging development, database upgradation and surveys, and so on.
APEDA-registered members can participate in training programs organized and held by APEDA for multiple scheduled products, thereby bringing constant and significant improvements in their business.

Documents Required

The following documents are required for APEDA Registration.

Application Form for the APEDA Registration that is completed and duly signed.
Copy of the Import-Export Code issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
Bank Certificate that is duly signed by the concerned authorities.
Account statement for the last two months of the firm's bank account.
Canceled Cheque

Registration Process

The applicant is required to submit an application form to register themselves under APEDA within a month from the date of undertaking the business. If the exporter fails to register themselves in the given timeline with sufficient cause, the concerned authority could only extend the timeline. Once the applicant completes the required forms and pays the requisite fee, the concerned authority will issue a Registration-cum-Membership-Certificate (RCMC). This is a one-time registration, and the rules and regulations under the APEDA Act govern the registered members.

Online Process

Step 1: Log on to the APEDA webpage to register yourself.

Step 1 - APEDA Registration Step 2: Click on the Register as Member tab.

Step 2 - APEDA Registration Step 3: Enter necessary details such as Import-Export Code, Email Address, and Mobile Number. Then, click on the Submit icon. Step 3 - APEDA RegistrationStep 3 - APEDA Registration

Step 3 - APEDA RegistrationStep 3 - APEDA Registration

Step 3 - APEDA Registration Step 4: A One-Time Password/ OTP will be sent to your registered Email Address and Mobile Number to confirm the details. The same would be required to be entered in the field provided on the verification screen. Click on the Submit icon to continue. Step 5: Once the verification is done, the online application must be completed with the appropriate information, and the essential documents must be uploaded. Note: The documents that have to be uploaded must be in JPEG, PDF, or PNG formats only. Step 5: The online application may be completed in more than one session by visiting the same page with the appropriate OTP. Once the essential information is entered in its respective fields, the Form has to be saved. The entered data may be edited until the payment is made online. Step 6: The registration fee is INR 5000, excluding taxes, and can be made through any of the following modes of payment:

Credit Card (MasterCard and Visa)
Debit Card (MasterCard and Visa)
Demand draft in favor of APEDA is payable at respective cities.

Step 7: An Application Number will be generated after the payment has been made successfully. This would be required for future reference. Step 8: On issuance of the RCMC, the login credentials will be sent to your registered Email Address. You may log in to your APEDA account by clicking on the Exporter Login tab that can be found on the APEDA homepage. Step 9: The status of the RCMC application may be viewed by clicking the Track Application tab and submitting the Import-Export Code along with the Application Number. Step 10: If there are shortcomings in the submitted application, the exporter must re-submit the application and documents online. Step 11: The final step is the approval of the RCMC by the APEDA Officials. Once permission is granted, the Certificate may be obtained using the APEDA portal under the tab of View RCMC Certificate under the RCMC Menu. NOTE The following documents are to be submitted along with the application form. It should be noted that a hard copy of any document is NOT required for applying RCMC from the APEDA.

Self-certified copy of the Import-Export Code issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
Bank Certificate that is duly signed by the concerned authorities.
Suppose you desire to register yourself as a Manufacturer Exporter. In that case, you must furnish a self-attested copy of the company registration and certifications from relevant certification agencies for the following products.

Products	Certification Agencies
Floriculture and Seeds	Department of Horticulture/ DIC/ SIA/ FSSAI
Fruits and Vegetables	Department of Agriculture/ Horticulture/ DIC/ SIA/ FSSAI
Groundnut/ Pulses/ Guar Gum	DIC/ SIA/ FSSAI/ Udyog Aadhaar Memorandum issued by the Ministry of MSME
Processed Fruits and Vegetables/ Processed Food Products/ Meat Products/ Cereal Preparation/ Miscellaneous Preparation	FSSAI
Dairy/ Poultry/ Honey	FSSAI/ EIC/ EIA
Alcoholic Beverages	Department of Excise Commissioner
Cereals	DIC/ SIA/ FSSAI/ Udyog Aadhaar Memorandum issued by the Ministry of MSME

DGFT Registration cum Membership Certificate (RCMC)

Earlier, an exporter desiring to obtain an RCMC had to file an application in Form ANF 2C with the Tea Board and declare his mainstream business in the application. The procedure was outlined above for reference. The Director-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has issued a Trade Notice No.35/2021-2022 for Mandatory Electronic filing of Registration Cum Membership Certificate (RCMC) or Registration Certificate (RC) through DGFT Common Digital Platform with effect from 01.04.2022. With this Trade Notice, DGFT informed that a new Common Digital Platform (DGFT e-RCMC module) for Issuance of RCMC had been developed, which would be single-point access for all exporters & importers. This Common Digital Platform is designed to provide an electronic, contactless single window for the RCMC/RC-related processes, including Applications for Fresh/ Amendment/ Renewal of RCMC/ RC. Click here to learn more about the DGFT Registration cum Membership Certificate (RCMC) – Online Procedure. Begin your journey to global markets today! Register with APEDA through IndiaFilings and take your agricultural exports to the next level. Click here to start now!