Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is a government organization established in 1985 through an act for the development and promotion of export of scheduled products. It provides financial assistance, information, guidelines towards the development of scheduled products. The products specified under the APEDA ACT are called schedule products and exporters of such scheduled products are required register under APEDA.

The objective of APEDA is to promote schedule products export and to achieve this various functions has been undertaken by this body under the regulation of central government. Central government lays down the rules and regulation and implements through this body for the efficient administration of APEDA Act.

Authorities are assigned with functions such as:

1. Promotion of export-oriented production and development of the Scheduled products
2. Setting the standards and specifications for the scheduled products
3. Registration of exporters of the scheduled products on payment of required fees
4. Improving packaging and marketing of the Scheduled products
5. Carrying out an inspection of products for the purpose of ensuring the quality of such products
6. Training in various aspects of the industries connected with the scheduled products
7. Development of industries relating to the scheduled products and undertaking surveys, feasibility studies etc
8. Collection of statistics from the owners of factories or establishments and publication of such statistics

APEDA is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion and development of scheduled products such as Fruits, Vegetable, Meat, Poultry Products. Dairy Products, Confectionery, Biscuits, Bakery Products, Honey, Jaggery and Sugar Products, Cocoa products, chocolates, floriculture Products. Pickles, Papads and Chutneys etc

For registering under APEDA, the applicant should submit the application form within 1 month from the date of undertaking the business. If the exporter of scheduled products fails to register within that time limit due to sufficient cause, such date can be extended only by the Authority.

Once the application duly filed and paid by the applicant, the authority will issue Registration - Cum- Membership- Certificate (RCMC). This registration is one-time registration and all the registered members are governed by the rules & regulations under APEDA Act.

1. Duly signed an application form
2. Copy of Import-Export code issued by D.G.F.T.
3. Bank Certificate duly signed by the authorities
4. Bank A/c. statement of the bank account of the firm (for latest 2 months)
5. Canceled cheque

1. With respect to the export of scheduled products, APEDA registration is mandatory.
2. Exporters can avail the various financial assistance schemes of APEDA.
3. It helps the exporters in brand publicity through advertisement, packaging development, database up-gradation and surveys etc
4. Provides guidelines to exporters about the various  products and countries for export
5. Registered members can participate in training programmes organized by APEDA for various scheduled products and thereby improve their business.

With the objective of simplification of procedures and ease of doing business with effect from 1.8.2015, the issuance of RCMC has been made online using digital signatures. Exporters can submit an application online and the steps are listed below:

1. Login to the APEDA Website and click on “Register as Member” tab
2. Enter the basic detail – IE CODE, Email ID & Mobile number and then submit
3. One Time Password for confirming the details will be sent on E-mail and mobile number and the same has to be entered on the verification screen and click on Submit to proceed.
4. Once verification is complete, fill in the online application and upload the required documents. The documents should be in the JPEG, PDF or PNG formats only.
5. On-line application can be completed in one or more sessions by revisiting the website using the assigned OTP. Once the information is entered in the respective fields, save the data. The data entered can be edited until online payment is not made.
6. Fee for the registration is Rs. 5000/- excluding taxes and can be made through any of the following modes:
   1. Credit Card(MasterCard and Visa)
   2. Debit Card (MasterCard and Visa)
   3. Demand draft in favor of “APEDA” payable with respective cities
   
7. After completion of Payment process, an application number will be generated. This is application number and required for future reference.
8. On issuance of RCMC, Login detail will be sent to the registered email of the exporter. The Exporter may login into their account through “Exporter Login” link given at APEDA website.
9. Status of the RCMC application can be viewed by clicking the “Track Application” link to view the status of the application by submitting the IE Code and Application number until it is issued.
10. If there is any shortcoming in the application the exporter will have to monitor and resubmit the document online.
11. The final procedure is the approval of RCMC from APEDA officials and once the approval is granted the Certificate can be taken using APEDA Login under the heading of “View RCMC Certificate” under RCMC Menu.
    

    Further details are available on APEDA’s website