APEDA Registration — Mandatory for Agricultural & Processed Food Exporters
₹11,999/-(inclusive of GST)
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India is among the world’s leading exporters of agricultural products — basmati rice, fresh mangoes, processed dairy, frozen meat, spices, organic produce, and more. Global demand for Indian agri-products grows year on year. But before a single shipment leaves Indian shores, there is one registration every food and agri-product exporter must have: APEDA registration.
APEDA — the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority — was established in 1985 under the APEDA Act. It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, mandated to promote and develop the export of scheduled agricultural and processed food products.
Every exporter dealing in APEDA-scheduled products is legally required to register with APEDA and obtain a Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC). Without it, you cannot legally export scheduled products, cannot avail financial assistance schemes, and cannot access the full range of government export benefits.
At Ofin Legal, we handle the complete APEDA registration process — from application preparation on the APEDA portal to document upload, fee payment guidance, and RCMC certificate follow-up — so your export business is fully compliant from Day 1.
What is APEDA and What Does It Do?
APEDA is an autonomous body that promotes India’s agricultural exports by supporting exporters through regulation, financial assistance, market development, and quality standards. Its key responsibilities include:
Registering exporters of scheduled products and issuing RCMC certificates
Financial support — providing subsidies of 40% to 90% of project costs for infrastructure development including pack houses, pre-cooling units, cold storage facilities, and refrigerated transportation
Quality standards — calibrating standards and specifications for scheduled products to meet importing country requirements, including EU, US, and Middle East standards
Market promotion — organising international trade fairs, exhibitions, buyer-seller meets, and trade delegations for APEDA-registered exporters
Training and capacity building — conducting training programmes for exporters on post-harvest management, packaging, labelling, and quality compliance
Market intelligence — publishing research reports, demand forecasts, and trade data to help exporters make informed decisions
Inspection — conducting inspections on meat and meat products at slaughterhouses, processing plants, and storage facilities to ensure product quality
APEDA Registrations Packages
BASIC
APEDA Registration
- Application preparation for APEDA Registration
- Document compilation and upload
- Registration Fee Payment
- Registration Fee of Rs. 5900/- included in package
- Application tracking
- APEDA RCMC download and handover
- Comprehensive support via phone, chat, and email
- Detailed proposal will be sent by email
STANDARD
APEDA Registration
- Application preparation for APEDA Registration
- Document compilation and upload
- Registration Fee Payment
- Registration Fee of Rs. 5900/- included in package
- Application tracking
- APEDA RCMC download and handover
- FSSAI Registration
- Comprehensive support via phone, chat, and email
- Detailed proposal will be sent by email
PREMIUM
APEDA Registration
- Application preparation for APEDA Registration
- Document compilation and upload
- Registration Fee Payment
- Registration Fee of Rs. 5900/- included in package
- Application tracking
- APEDA RCMC download and handover
- FSSAI Registration
- IEC Registration
- Comprehensive support via phone, chat, and email
- Detailed proposal will be sent by email
Who Must Register Under APEDA?
APEDA registration is mandatory for every individual or business entity that exports scheduled products listed under the APEDA Act. This includes:
- Manufacturer-exporters producing and exporting scheduled agri-products
- Merchant-exporters (traders) dealing in scheduled products for export
- Processors and packaging units supplying to exporters of scheduled products
- Businesses seeking to avail APEDA’s Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) or any other APEDA scheme — registration is a prerequisite for all scheme benefits
You must apply for APEDA registration within 30 days of commencing your export business in scheduled products. If you fail to register within this timeline, you can still register with valid reason, but delays can impact your ability to claim benefits and export legally.
APEDA Scheduled Products — Complete List
These are the products regulated by APEDA. If you export any of these, you need APEDA registration:
Fresh Produce: Fruits and vegetables — fresh, chilled, and dried forms including mangoes, grapes, bananas, onions, potatoes, and all other horticultural produce; floriculture and cut flowers; seeds
Processed Foods: Processed fruits and vegetables — pulps, juices, canned, frozen, and dehydrated forms; pickles, papads, and chutneys; confectionery, biscuits, and bakery products; cocoa and chocolates; sugar and sugar products; honey and jaggery; alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Cereals and Pulses: Cereal and cereal products including rice (Basmati and non-Basmati), wheat, maize, and value-added cereal products; groundnuts, peanuts, walnuts, and pulses; guar gum
Animal Products: Meat and meat products — buffalo meat, poultry, mutton, pork, and processed meat; poultry and poultry products; dairy products — milk powder, butter, ghee, cheese, and dairy preparations
Other Scheduled Products: Herbal and medicinal plants; organic produce across categories
If you are unsure whether your product falls under APEDA’s scheduled list, our team will confirm this for you before we begin the registration process.
Documents Required for APEDA Registration
Mandatory for All Applicants:
- Valid IEC (Import Export Code) — self-certified copy issued by DGFT
- PAN Card of the entity
- Bank Certificate — duly signed by the bank’s authorised signatory, on bank letterhead
- Bank Account Statement — last 2 months of the firm’s current account
- Cancelled Cheque of the business bank account
For Manufacturer-Exporters — Additional Documents by Product Category:
| Product Category | Additional Certification Required |
|---|---|
| Floriculture and Seeds | Certificate from Dept. of Horticulture / DIC / SIA / FSSAI |
| Fruits and Vegetables | Certificate from Dept. of Agriculture / Horticulture / DIC / SIA / FSSAI |
| Groundnut / Pulses / Guar Gum | DIC / SIA / FSSAI / Udyog Aadhaar (MSME) |
| Processed Fruits & Vegetables / Processed Foods / Meat / Cereal Preparations | FSSAI Licence |
| Dairy / Poultry / Honey | FSSAI / EIC / EIA Certificate |
| Alcoholic Beverages | Excise Commissioner Certificate |
| Cereals | DIC / SIA / FSSAI / Udyog Aadhaar (MSME) |
For Companies: Certificate of Incorporation, MOA & AOA For Partnership Firms: Partnership Deed For LLPs: LLP Agreement and Certificate of Incorporation
All documents must be uploaded in JPEG, PDF, or PNG format. No physical hard copies are required.
How to Register Under APEDA — Our Process
Step 1 — IEC Verification and Product Confirmation We verify your IEC on the DGFT portal and confirm that your export product falls under APEDA’s scheduled products list. This is done before we begin any application work.
Step 2 — APEDA Portal Registration We access the APEDA website (apeda.gov.in), click on “Register as Member,” and enter your IEC, email address, and mobile number. An OTP is sent to your registered email and mobile for verification.
Step 3 — Application Form Completion Once verified, we complete the online application form with your business details — entity name, type of exporter (manufacturer or merchant), product categories, registered address, bank details, and authorised signatory information.
Step 4 — Document Upload All required documents — IEC copy, bank certificate, bank statement, and product-specific certifications — are uploaded in the prescribed formats.
Step 5 — Fee Payment The APEDA registration fee of ₹5,000 (excluding taxes) is paid online through the portal via credit card, debit card (MasterCard or Visa), or demand draft. An application number is generated on successful payment.
Step 6 — Application Tracking We track the application status on the APEDA portal using the IEC and application number. If shortcomings are identified by APEDA officials, we resubmit corrected documents promptly.
Step 7 — RCMC Certificate Issued On approval by APEDA officials, the Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) is issued electronically and can be downloaded from the APEDA portal under the “View RCMC Certificate” tab. Login credentials are sent to your registered email address.
APEDA Registration Fee
| Fee Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| APEDA Registration Fee | ₹5,000 (excluding taxes) |
| Applicable Taxes (GST) | As per prevailing rate |
| Ofin Legal Professional Fee | ₹11,999/- (inclusive of GST) |
Payment Modes Accepted by APEDA:
- Credit Card (MasterCard / Visa)
- Debit Card (MasterCard / Visa)
- Demand Draft payable to APEDA at respective cities
Benefits of APEDA Registration
- Export Authorisation APEDA registration is your legal permission to export scheduled agricultural and processed food products. Without it, customs authorities will not process your export consignments.Access to Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) APEDA-registered exporters can apply for the Financial Assistance Scheme — which offers subsidies ranging from 40% to 90% of project costs for:
- Infrastructure development — pack houses, pre-cooling units, cold storage, refrigerated vehicles
- Quality upgradation — testing labs, certification costs, food safety systems
- Market promotion — participation in international trade fairs and exhibitions
- Brand development — packaging, labelling, branding, and traceability systems
- Exporters from North-Eastern states, Himalayan and landlocked states, island territories, and SC/ST and women beneficiaries are eligible for up to 75% assistance
Market Development Support APEDA-registered exporters get invitations to participate in international trade fairs, exhibitions, buyer-seller meets, and trade delegations — opportunities that are not available to unregistered exporters.
Credibility with International Buyers Overseas buyers, particularly in regulated markets like the EU, USA, Japan, and the Middle East, actively verify APEDA registration before finalising import deals. Your APEDA RCMC signals that you are a government-recognised, quality-compliant exporter.
Training and Capacity Building APEDA organises training programmes covering post-harvest management, food safety compliance (including SPS requirements for specific markets), packaging standards, and export procedures — all exclusively for registered members.
Market Intelligence Access to APEDA’s research reports, international demand data, price trends, and trade statistics — helping you make better decisions about target markets, product positioning, and pricing.
Brand and IP Support APEDA provides assistance for registration of brand and intellectual property rights in overseas markets — a significant support for exporters building their own branded agricultural products abroad.
Validity and Renewal of APEDA Registration
- Validity: APEDA registration (RCMC) is valid for 5 financial years — from 1st April of the year of issue to 31st March of the fifth year
- Renewal: Must be applied for before the expiry of the current certificate through the APEDA portal
- Updates: Any changes in entity details — address, bank account, directors, or product line — must be updated with APEDA promptly to maintain the validity and accuracy of your registration
- Monthly Returns: APEDA-registered exporters are required to submit monthly export data (party returns) through the APEDA portal
Why Choose Ofin Legal for APEDA Registration?
✓ Agri-export compliance specialists — We understand the complete export compliance chain for agricultural products: IEC → FSSAI → APEDA RCMC → AD Code → Customs clearance✓ Product-specific documentation — Different product categories under APEDA require different certifications (FSSAI, DIC, EIC, EIA, Excise). We identify and compile the exact documents for your product category — eliminating guesswork✓ FAS scheme guidance — We advise you on the Financial Assistance Scheme eligibility and application process as part of our Premium package — helping you access government subsidies from Day 1✓ Completely online — No physical documents required, no office visits, no trips to APEDA offices
✓ End-to-end follow-up — We track your application on the APEDA portal and handle resubmissions if any shortcomings are flagged by APEDA officials
✓ 25+ years of experience — Trusted by 500+ businesses across India for registration and compliance services
Frequently Asked Questions on AD Code Registration
APEDA registration is the process of registering with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority and obtaining a Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC). It is mandatory for all exporters of scheduled agricultural and processed food products listed under the APEDA Act, 1985.
Yes. Every exporter dealing in APEDA-scheduled products must register with APEDA before or within 30 days of commencing export activities. Exporting without APEDA registration is a legal violation and disqualifies you from all government export incentives and schemes.
The government fee for APEDA registration is ₹5,000 plus applicable taxes, payable directly on the APEDA portal. This is separate from Ofin Legal’s professional fee for handling the registration process.
APEDA registration is valid for 5 financial years — from 1st April of the year of issue to 31st March of the fifth year. It must be renewed before expiry.
Yes. Both manufacturer-exporters (those who produce and export) and merchant-exporters (traders who buy and export without manufacturing) can register under APEDA. The documentation requirements differ slightly between the two categories.
The FAS is a government subsidy scheme for APEDA-registered exporters. It provides financial assistance ranging from 40% to 90% of project costs for infrastructure development, quality upgradation, market promotion, and brand building. Only registered APEDA members can apply for FAS benefits.
For processed food products, meat and meat products, dairy, poultry, honey, and similar categories, an FSSAI licence or registration is a mandatory document for APEDA registration as a manufacturer-exporter. Our Premium package includes FSSAI registration guidance.
Yes. There is no minimum turnover requirement for APEDA registration. Any entity with a valid IEC that exports scheduled products — whether a startup, MSME, or large enterprise — must and can register under APEDA.
With complete and accurate documentation, APEDA registration is typically completed within 7 to 15 working days from the date of application and fee payment, subject to APEDA officials’ review and approval.
The APEDA Act requires registration within 30 days of commencing the export business. If you miss this deadline, you can still apply, but may need to provide a valid reason for the delay. The registration process itself remains the same. We recommend registering as early as possible to avoid complications with export documentation and incentive claims.
