APEDA APEDA Certificate Exporters: Complete Guide to Online Registration, Fees and Validity

India has a large agricultural and processed-food export industry, covering products such as fruits and vegetables, cereals, meat products, dairy products, honey, floriculture items and other scheduled products. Businesses exporting products covered under APEDA's jurisdiction may need to obtain the appropriate Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC).

An APEDA Certificate provides exporters with formal registration under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority framework. It can help eligible exporters access APEDA-related services and comply with applicable export requirements.

APEDA currently uses the DGFT portal for issuance of e-RCMC for APEDA scheduled products. Exporters need to obtain an IEC before applying for the relevant e-RCMC.

What Is an APEDA Certificate?

APEDA stands for the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority. It was established under the APEDA Act, 1985, to promote and develop the export of scheduled agricultural and processed food products from India.

In common business usage, the term APEDA Certificate often refers to the registration/RCMC issued to an eligible exporter.

The certificate demonstrates that the exporter is registered with the relevant authority for APEDA-scheduled products.

Who Needs APEDA Registration?

Businesses dealing with products falling within APEDA's scheduled categories may need the appropriate registration for their export activities.

Depending on the business structure, an exporter may register as:

• Merchant exporter
• Manufacturer exporter
• Merchant-cum-manufacturer exporter

The applicable supporting documents can differ depending on the category selected.

For manufacturer exporters, APEDA may require proof of manufacturing or relevant product-specific registration from an appropriate authority.

APEDA Application Process

The APEDA application process is now connected with the DGFT e-RCMC system for APEDA scheduled products.

Before starting the application, the exporter should have:

• Valid IEC
• Business details
• PAN
• Bank details
• Relevant product information
• Manufacturing proof, where applicable
• Supporting registration certificates, where required

APEDA's current information confirms that exporters apply for e-RCMC through the DGFT portal after obtaining IEC.

APEDA Application Form

The APEDA application form requires the exporter to provide accurate information about the business, export activity and relevant products.

The applicant should carefully check:

• Legal name of business
• Registered address
• IEC details
• Constitution of business
• Product category
• Exporter type
• Contact details
• Bank information

Incorrect information can result in requests for clarification or correction.

Documents Required for APEDA Registration