Difference Between FSSAI and AGMARK (With Table) 

The products and services that the manufacturers provide us may contain defaults or the product may be harmful or may be counterfeit. So to prevent such fraud, there are such marks in our country which are definitely there for certification of certain types of products which are non-harmful. Two such types of marks are FSSAI mark and Agmark. Different products come under sub-marks. 

FSSAI vs AGMARK 

The main difference between FSSAI and AGMARK is that FSSAI is a body that is run by the Government of India. FSSAI mark is mandatory for every Food Business Operator (FBO). On the other hand, AGMARK is a certified mark for agricultural commodities. AGMARK can only be achieved when agricultural products pass the test.

FSSAI is an abbreviation for Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is a legal body that is set up under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. the FSSAI was established under the act of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. 

AGMARK is a mark of verification put on agricultural products. The validation of AGMARK works in India. The mark of AGMARK ensures that the products of agriculture follow the set of benchmarks stated by the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection, an office of the Government of India.

Comparison Table Between FSSAI and AGMARK 

Parameters of Comparison

FSSAI

AGMARK

Establishment Date

The FSSAI was established in 2006. 

The AGMARK was established in 1937 however the year was amended to 1987. 

Headquarters

The FSSAI is headquartered in New Delhi. 

The AGMARK is headquartered in Faridabad, Haryana. 

Basis

Agency for inspection 

Certification Agency 

Product Type

Every edible food product.

Pulses, spices, cereals, vegetables, edible oils, rice, honey, etc. 

Procedure

The procedure of registration for FSSAI takes place online. 

The procedure of AGMARK takes place online. 

What is FSSAI? 

The main responsibility of the body, FSSAI, is to safeguard and encourage public health via the ruling and supervision of food safety and welfare. A non-executive chairperson is responsible for leading the body, FSSAI. The Central Government of India appointed this chairperson of DSSAI. Rajesh Bhushan is the present chairperson of the body, FSSAI, and the present chief executive officer of FSSAI is Arun Singhal.

The food safety body, FSSAI is headquartered in New Delhi. The regional offices of this body are situated in Guwahati, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Cochin, and Chennai. The major objective of the FSSAI is to benefit the industries which are indulged in producing, handling packaging, and selling food products. FSSAI is determined to allow everlasting licenses n the circumstances that every year they register their profits. Former Union Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Government of India brought the body, FSSAI into existence. The FSSAI was launched on 5 August 2011.

The body, FSSAI started with its operations in 2006. The body FSSAI is constituted of 22 members and a chairperson. The body is accountable for establishing benchmarks for food products. The body frames rules and regulations to be implied on the safety standards of food products. FSSAI spreads information and awareness about food products and frames guidelines for providing authorities to laboratories for testing of food.

What is AGMARK? 

The mark of AGMARK features as a third party that provides a guarantee of the quality of agricultural commodities. The mark of AGMARK is required of every agricultural commodity which needs to be sold in India. The term AGMARK came into existence by uniting two words ‘Ag’ which is taken out of agriculture and ‘mark’ means the mark of certification.

At present, the standards of AGMARK count the quality rule and regulations for 200 plus different products, this includes pulses, essential oils, vegetable oils, cereals, etc. The platform was developed by NIC, National Informatics Centre. The mark of certification of AGMARK is optional for various distinct products other than fat spread and edible vegetable oils which is compulsory as the FSSAI Regulations, 2006. A boost takes place in the marketing of the products by this certification.

The quality of commodities maintains by the morality of legal compliances. The grading of AGMARK ensures that the agricultural commodities are not adulterated. The mark for AGMARK can be implied on both the motives domestic or export. The process of application of AGMARK takes place on a platform that is present online. 

Main Differences Between FSSAI and AGMARK 

  1. FSSAI was established under the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 whereas, AGMARK is covered by the Agriculture Produce (Grading and Marking) Act of India, 1937 (amended in 1986).
  2. FSSAI, the allotment is done on the basis of turnover and activity while in the case of AGMARK Certification allotment is done after various analyses. 
  3. FSSAI covers all the food products while AGMARK covers 205 agricultural products. 
  4. The regional offices of the FSSAI are situated in Guwahati, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Cochin, and Chennai while the regional offices of AGMARK are located in Delhi, Kolkata, Bhopal. 
  5. Former Union Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Government of India brought the body, FSSAI into existence while the mark of AGMARK was developed by Archibald MacDonald Livingstone. 

Conclusion 

This is essential to ensure our safety and security against products that may be harmful and toxic to our health and safety. So whenever we carry a product we should make sure that the product we are carrying is marked with the mark of certification in which category it falls in. a strict inspection is done by FSSAI on all the edible products and AGMARK is provided to 205 products. Getting certified by AGMARK is optional except few products. 

References

  1. https://gatesopenresearch.org/documents/3-1043
  2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jsfa.2740360605