AJOWAN SEEDS (WHOLE AND POWDERED) GRADING AND MARKING RULES
1. Short title, application and commencement :-(i)These rules may be called the Ajowan Seeds (Whole and powdered) Grading and Marking Rules, 1997.
(ii) They shall apply to Ajowan Seeds (Trachyspermum ammi) (linn) whole and powered.
(iii) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the official Gazette.
2. Definition :- In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires :-
(a) “Agricultural Marketing Adviser” means the Agricultural Marketing Adviser to the Government of India.
(b) “Authorised Packer” means a person or body of persons who has been granted the Certificate of Authorisation to grade and mark the commodity in accordance with the provisions of these rules ;
(c) “Certificate of Authorisation” means a certificate issued under the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988
(d) “Schedule” means a Schedule appended to these rules.
3. Grade designation- The grade designations to indicate the quality of the article shall be as set out in column 1 of the Schedule-II and III.
4. Definition of quality - The quality indicated by such grade designation and general characteristics of Ajowan shall be as set out against each grade designation in columns 2 to 7 of schedule-II and 2 to 8 of Schedule-III
5. Grade designation mark - The grade designation mark shall consist of -
(i) A label specifying name of the commodity grade designation and bearing a design consisting of an outline map of India with the word ‘AGMARK’ and figure of the rising sun resembling the one as “AGMARK” set out in Schedule I-A or;
(ii) “Agmark Replica” consisting of a design incorporating the number of certificate of authorisation the word “AGMARK” name of the commodity grade designation and resembling the one as set out in Schedule I-B.
Provided that the use of AGMARK Replica in lieu of Agmark labels shall be allowed only to such authorised packers who have been granted permission by the Agricultural Marketing Adviser or an officer authorised by him in this regard and subject to the conditions as specified under the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988.
6. Method of Marking -(1) The grade designation mark shall be securely affixed to or clearly and indelibly printed on each container :
(2) In addition to the grade designation mark, the following particulars shall be clearly and indelibly marked on each container :-
(a) Name and address of the Packer;
(b) Place of packing ;
(c) Date of packing in month and year;
(d) Lot / Batch number;
(e) Net Weight;
(f) Date of expiry;
(g) Price.
(3) An authorised packer may after obtaining prior approval of the Agricultural Marketing Adviser or any officer authorised by him in this behalf in accordance with Rule 11 of the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988 affix his private trade mark or trade brand on graded packages, provided that the same does not indicate quality or grade other than that indicated by the grade designation mark affixed to the graded packages in accordance with these rules.
7. Method of Packing -
(1) The graded article shall be packed in clean, sound and dry containers such as jute bags, cotton bags, polywoven bags, paper bags, polyethylene laminated pouches, cardboard cartons, tin, grass, plastic container, wooden cases or any other materials or in such other manner as may be approved by The Agricultural Marketing Adviser or any other officer authrised by him in this behalf as per Rule 11 of the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988 Provided that the packing material is of food grade quality as permitted under prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 1955:
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(2) Polyethylene or polypropylene of minimum 100 microns thickness shall be used in packing of whole and powdered material in jute bags, cloth bags and cardboard cartons:
(3) In all cases, the container shall be free from insect infestation, fungus contamination materials impacting colour, deleterious substances or any undesirable or obnoxious smell;
(4) Each container shall be securely closed and sealed.
8. Special conditions for grant of Certificate of Authorisation - In addition to the conditions specified in sub-rule (8) of Rule 3 of the General Grading and Marking Rules 1988, following shall be the additional conditions for grant of certificate of authorization for Grading & Marking Ajowan (Whole and Powdered) under there rules namely:-
(1) The authorised packed shall either set up his own laboratory manned by a qualified chemist, approved by the Agricultural Marketing Adviser or an officer authorised by him in this behalf in accordance with Rule 9 of the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988 for testing the quality of Ajowan (Whole and Powdered )or have access to the State Grading Laboratory or private commercial Laboratory approved for the purpose.
(2) The premises for processing grading and packing shall be maintained in perfect hygienic and sanitary conditions;
(3) The personnel engaged in these operations shall be in sound health and free from any contagious disease.
SCHEDULE-I-A [See rule 5(I)] Design of Agmark Label P R ODUCE OF IND IA
SCHEDULE-I-B [See rule 5] Design of Agmark Replica G OVERNMENT OFIN DI A A G M A R K CA No.
Name of Commodity__________________________________ Grade_______________________________________________ 2
SCHEDULE II (See Rules 3 and 4) Grade designations and definitions of quality of Ajowan (Whole) Seeds Definition of Quality Grade Special requirements General requirements designation --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moisture Organic Inorganic Shrivelled, Volatile oil percent extraneous extraneous immature, ml/100 gms by mass matter matter weevilled, percent by percent by damaged mass mass and discoloured seeds, percent by mass (Maximum) (Maximum) (Maximum) (Maximum) (Minimum) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Grade-I 10.0 1.0 0.25 1.0 3.5 The Ajowan seed shall :
Grade-II 10.0 1.5 0.5 1.5 2.5 (1) be the dried ripe fruits of the plant Grade-III 11.0 2.0 1.0 2.0 1.5 Trachyspermum ammi (L);
(2) taste and smell of ajowan seeds shall be fresh and normally associated with the produce. It shall not give rancid taste and musty odour;
(3) be free from visible mould, live insects, any harmful foreign matter, insect infestation, rodent contamination and added colouring matter;
(4) comply with the restrictions in regard to aflatoxin content, metallic contaminants, insecticide residue, poisonous metals, crop contaminants, and naturally occuring toxic substances as prescribed under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules
1955.
Explanation : (1) Organic extraneous matter : Includes leave, stem, chaff, other seeds or any other foreign matter.
(2) Inorganic extraneous matter : Includes - sand, earth, dust, stones or any other inorganic matter.
(3) Shrivelled and immature seeds : that have not properly developed.
(4) Weevilled seeds : Seeds that are partially or wholly bored or eaten away by weevil or other inects.
(5) Damaged and discoloured seeds : Include seeds that are cut, broken, damaged and discoloured, damaged and discoluration materially affecting the quality.
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SCHEDULE III (see Rules 3 and 4) Grade designation and definition of quality of Ajowan powder Definition of Quality Grade Special requirements General Requirements designation --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moisture Total ash Acid Nonvolatile Crude Volatile percent on dry insoluble ether - fibre on oil by mass weight ash on extract dry ml/100 gm basis, dry on dry weight percent weight weight basis my mass basis, basis, percent percent percent by mass by mass by mass (maximum) (maximum) (maximum) (minimum) (maximum) (minimum) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Grade-I 10.0 7.0 0.5 20.0 14.0 3.5 (i) Ajowan powder shall be the Grade-II 10.0 8.0 1.0 15.0 18.0 2.0 material obtained by grinding Grade-III 11.0 10.0 1.5 10.0 20.0 1.0 the dry, clean, ripe fruits of the plant Trachyspermum ammi (L);
(ii) The teste and smell of the powder shall be fresh and normally associated with the product. It shall not give rancid taste and musty odour;
(iii) The produce shall be free from dirt, mould and insects infestation;
(iv) It shall also be free from added colouring matter, preservatives and foreign starch;
(v) It shall be free from coarse particles and ground to such a fineness that the whole of it passes through 500 micron sieve;
(vi) It shall comply with the restrictions in regard to aflatoxin content, metallic contaminants, pesticide residue, poisonous metals, crop contaminants and naturally occurring toxic substances as specified under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 1955.
NOTE : Principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Part II, section 3, sub-section (i) dated 8-11-97 vide GSR 372 dated 26-9-97