COTTON SEEDS GRADING AND MARKING RULES Short title, application and commencement :-
(1) These rules may be called and Cotton Seeds Grading and Marking Rules, 1982.
(2) They shall apply to cotton seeds produced in India.
(3) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. Definitions :— In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires :-
(1) "Agricultural Marketing Adviser" means the Agricultural Marketing Adviser to the Government of India.
(2) "Schedule" means a Schedule appended to these rules;
(3) "Authorised packer" means a person or a body of persons who has been granted a Certificate of Authorisation by the Agricultural Marketing Adviser for getting the commodity graded and Agmarked in accordance with grade standards and procedure prescribed under the rules;
(4) "Certificate" means Certificate of Authorisation. Grade designation :— The grade designation to indicate quality of the cotton seeds shall be as set out in column I of Schedule I. Definition of quality :- The quality indicated by the grade designation shall be as set out against each grade designation in column 2 to 8 of Schedule 1. Grade designation mark :- The grade designation mark shall consist of a label specifying the grade designation and bearing a design consisting of an outline map of India with the word "AGMARK" and figure of the rising sun with the words "Produce of India" and W W" resembling the mark as set out in Schedule-II. Method of marking :-(1)The grade designation mark shall be securely affixed to each package in a manner approved by the Agricultural Marketing Adviser.
(2) In addition to the grade designation, the following particulars shall also be clearly marked on the label:-
(a) Date of packing;
(b) Lot number;
(c) Net weight; and
(d) Any other particulars, as may be specified by the Agricultural Marketing Adviser from time to time.
(3) The authorised packer may, after obtaining the prior approval of the Agricultural Marketing Adviser, mark his private trade mark on a container in a manner approved by the said officer, provided that the private trade mark does not represent a quantity or grade of Cotton Seed different from that indicated by the grade designation mark affixed to the container in accordance with these rules. Method of Packing :- (I) Cotton seeds shall be packed in new B.— Twill jute bags or any other type of container and in such capacity and in such manner as may be' specified from time to time by the Agricultural Marketing Adviser.
(2) Packing material shall be clean and dry,free from fungus contamination and insect infestation and obnoxious smell.
(3) Each package shall contain cotton seeds of the same variety and of the same grade designation.
(4) Each package shall be securely closed and sealed in the manner prescribed by the Agriculturai Marketing Adviser. / «he; Art: . .
SCHEDULE-I (See Rules 3 and 4) Grade designations and definition of quality of Cotton Seeds Definition of quality Grade Designation Special Characteristics Percent by weight (Maximum) General characteristics Foreign Damaged Immature, Weevilled ’ Linters Moisture matter seeds shrivelled seeds and dead seeds 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 I 1.0 1.0 2.0 0.5 4.0 10.0 The cotton seeds shall :- 11 3.0 2.0 4.0 1.0 ‘
6.0 10.0 i) be obtained from the plant of Gossypium species; 111 5.0 4.0 6.0 1.5 10.0 10.0 ii) be well developed, mature, clean and dry; iii) be reasonably uniform in shape, size and colour; iv) be flee from dirt, obnoxius smell, deleterious substan» ces, insect infestation, visible mould attack and rodent contamination except to the extent provided under special characteristics. Definitions :-
1. Foreign matter : shall be stones, lumps of earth, straw, chaff, stems, any other edible or non-edible seeds or any other foreign material. ‘
2. Damaged Seeds : shall be the seeds which are internally damaged or discoloured or broken materially affecting the quality.
3.» Immature, shrivelled and dead seeds : shall be the seeds not properly developed and/or shrunken. Dead seeds shall be those seeds which can easily be crushed, if crushed between two fingers.
4. Weevilled seeds : shall be the seeds which are wholly or partly bored or eaten by the weevils.
5. Linters : shall be the seeds with adhered fuzz or short lint. 39
SCHEDULE-II (See rule 5) Grade designation mark (Published in the Gazette of India Part-II, Section 36) under G.S.R. 60, dated 15-1-1983) 40