MACE GRADING AND MARKING RULES
1. Short title and commencement :-(1) These rules may be called the Mace Grading Marking Rules 1997
5. Grade designation mark.- (1) The grade designation mark shall consist of an Agmark label as specified in Part-1 of Schedule-1 and shall specify the name of the commodity, grade designation and a design consisting of an outline map of India with the word “AGMARK” and a figure of rising sun resembling the design as specified in Part-I of Schedule-I; or
(2) They shall apply to Mace whole and Mace Ground (Powdered).
(3) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. Definitions- In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires:-
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule
(1) the Agricultural marketing Adviser or any officer authorised by him in this behalf may, subject to the conditions specified in sub-rule
(4) of rule 10 of the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988, permit any authorised packer to use Agmark replica, as specified in Part-II of Schedule -I consisting of a design incorporating the word “AGMARK”, serial number of the Certificate of Authorisation, the name of the commodity and grade designation, instead of Agmark label.
(a) “Agmark label” and “Agmark replica” means the Agmark label and the Agmark replica as specified in the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988;
(b) “Agricultural Marketing Adviser” means the Agricultural Marketing Adviser to the Government of India;
(c) “Authorised Packer” means a person or body of person who has been granted a certificate of authorisation to grade and mark mace whole and or mace powder in accordance with the grade standards and procedure specified in these rules;
6. Method of packing.- (1)Mace whole shall be packed in clean, sound and dry jute cloth bags laminated with polyethylene or poly propylene or in pouches made of food grade plastic materials;
(d) “Approved Chemist” means chemist approved by the competent authority to undertake Agmark grading;
(2) Mace powder shall be packed in new, clean, sound and dry containers made of tin, glass or in punches made of laminated/ extrusioned/ metallised/multiplayer food grade plastic materials;
(e) “Approved laboratory” means laboratory approved by the competent authority for testing of mace whole and/or mace powder for Agmark grading;
(3) The containers shall be free from insect infestation fungus contamination, undesirable or obnoxious smell and substances which may damage the contents;
(f) “Certificate of Authorisation” means a certificate issued under rule 3 of the provisions of the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988;
(4) Each container shall be securely closed and suitably sealed;
(g) “Grade designation mark” means the Agmark label or the Agmark replica referred to in subrule (1) or sub-rule (2) or rule 5, of these rules as the case may be;
(5) The net weight of the graded mace and mace powder packed in container shall be 25 grams, 50 grams, 100 grams, 200 grams, 500 grams, 1 Kg.. and thereafter in multiples of 1 kg. as per the packaged commodities Rules, 1977, as amended from time to time;
(h) “Schedule” means Schedule annexed to these rules;
3. Grade designation.- For the purpose of these rules the Grade designation shall be the names of the grades which indicate the quality of mace whole/ or mace powder as given under column (1) of Schedule -II and Schedule-III.
(6) Suitable number of consumer packs containing graded material of the same grade designation and from the same lot-batch may be packed in master container such as wooden case cardboard carton etc.
4. Definition of Quality.- For the purpose of these rules the definition of the quality shall be such as given against each grade designation in column (2) to (8) of schedule-III.
7. 7.Method of Marking.-(1) A grade designation mark shall be securely affixed to or printed on each container of mace whole or powder in a manner approved by the Agricultural Marketing Adviser or an 1 officer authorised by him in this behalf in accordance with rule 11 of the General Grading and Marking rules, 1988;
(2) In addition to the grade designation mark the following particulars shall be clearly and indelibly marked on the label or on the package :-
(a) Place of Packing,
(b) Date of packing in month and year,
(c) Lot/batch number,
(d) Net weight,
(e) Grade,
(f) Maximum retail price inclusive of all taxes
(g) Date of expiry,
(h) Name and address of the authorised packer;
(3) Proper care shall be taken to ensure that the ink used for marking does not contaminate the product;
(4) The authorised packer may, after obtaining prior pproval of the Agricultural Marketing Adviser or an Officer authorised by him in this behalf, in accordance with rule 11 of the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988 mark his private trade mark on the packages.
Provided that the private trade mark does not represent quality or grade of the commodity different from that indicated by the grade designation mark affixed to the packages in accordance with these rules.
8. Special conditions of grant of Certificate of Authorisation.- Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (8) of rule 3 of the general Grading and Marking Rules 1988, the certificate of authorisation for Grading and Marking mace whole and/or mace powder under these rules shall not be granted if :-
(a) the authorised packer has not 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 mace hole and mace powder in accordance with the specified quality standards or does not have an agreement with an approved laboratory for the purpose;
(b) the premises for processing, grinding and packing are not maintained in perfect hygienic and sanitary conditions;
(c) the personnel engaged in these operations are not in sound health and free from any contagious disease.
SCHEDULE-1 PART-I [See Rule 5 (1)] Grade designation mark (DESIGN ON AGMARK LABEL) P R OD UCE OF IND IA
PART-II
SCHEDULE-1 [See Rule –5 (2)] Grade designation mark (DESIGN OF AGMARK REPLICA) CA No.
Name of Commodity …………… Grade …………………………………….
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SCHEDULE –II (See rules 3 and 4) Grade designation and definition of quality of Mace (Jaepatri) whole.
Grade Definition of quality Designation ________________________________________________________________________________________ Special requirements ________________________________________________________________________________ Inorganic extraneous Organic extra Insect damaged Moisture con- Volatile oil matter per cent by neous matter per cent by tent percent by content ml/ Mass per cent by mass mass mass 100 gm.
(maximum) (maximum) (maximum) (maximum) (minimum) 1 2 3 4 5 6 Standard 0.5 1.5 3.0 12.0 11.0 General requirements 7 Mace (Jaepatri) Whole shall :-
(a) be the dried, flattened seed coat or aril of the ripe fruit of nutmeg tree, myristica fragrans Houttuyn ;
(b) be free from aril of other variety of myristica malabarica or fatua (Bombay mace ) and Myristica agrentia (wild mace) ;
(c) be of buff of light brown colour, horny and brittle;
(d) have the characteristic fresh and aromatic odour and bitter acrid and warm flavour;
(e) be free from rancid taste musty odour, off-flavour, mould growth, insect infestation, rodent contamination and added coloring matter;
(f) comply with the restrictions in regard to aflatoxin, metallic and other naturally occurring toxic substances contamination insecticide residues and other provision as prescribed under the prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 1955.
Explanation :-(1) Inorganic extraneous matter includes dust, dirt, sand stones, earth particles.
(2) Organic extraneous matter means all vegetable matter other than mace including aril of the other varieties of myristica malabarica or Fatua and Myristica argentia;
(3) Insect damaged mace includes mace partially or wholly bored by insects.
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SCHEDULE-III (See rules 3 and 4) Grade designation and definition of quality of Mace (Jaepatri) grounded Definition of quality Grade ________________________________________________________________________________ Special requirements Designation ________________________________________________________________________________ Moisture con- Total ash Acid insoluble Crude fibre Non volatile Volatile oil ml/ tent per cent percent by ash, percent percent by ether extract 100 gm.
by mass mass on dry by mass, on mass on dry percent by weight basis dry weight weight mass on dry basis basis weight basis (maximum) (maximum) (maximum) (maximum) (minimum - (minimum) maximum) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Grade_I 10.0 2.0 0.5 8.0 22.0-30.0 15.0 Grade II 10.0 2.5 0.75 8.5 22.0-30.0 11.0 General requirements 8 __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mace (Jaepatri) ground shall :-
(a) be the powder obtained by grinding clean, fresh sound, dried aril of ripe fruit of nutmeg tree (Myristica fragrans), Houttuyn ;
(b) be free from a mixture of ground aril of other variety of Nyristica malabarica or fatua (Bombay mace) and Myristic (wild mace);
(c) have fresh characteristic and aromatic odour and bitter, acrid, warm flavour;
(d) be free from rancid taste, musty odour off-flavour, mould growth, insect infestation, rodent contamination and any extraneous matter including added coloring matter ;
(e) Comply with the restrictions in regard to aflatoxin metallic and other naturally occurring toxic substance contamination, insecticide residues and other provisions prescribed 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 02-08-1997 vide G.S.R. 301 dated 30-06-1997.