- India is the world’s top producer and exporter of spices. In order to start a business as a spice grinding facility in India, the following registrations/licenses must be obtained:
- Form the business entity as an OPC, LLP, Private Company, Partnership company, or any other model that is appropriate for the business plans.
- Registration for the Goods and Services Tax in order to file taxes and returns.
- MSME Udyog Aadhaar certification to be eligible for government benefits.
- A state health department trade license is required to protect public health and hygiene.
- Chili powder, for example, will be certified under ISI-2445-1963, coriander under ISI-2444-1963, and turmeric powder under ISI-2446-1963 by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
- AGMARK accreditation from the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection, a government-approved body. Across the country, state-owned AGMARK labs evaluate and certify agricultural products for quality.
- The Spice Board of India issued a registration/membership certificate.
- Food license from India’s Food Safety and Standards Authority.
Suggested read- Apply for an fssai certificate
FSSAI License – In order to ensure the quality of Indian spices in the international and domestic markets, the FSSAI has made it mandatory for spice grinding units that sell, trade, retail, export, process, or grind spices in India to apply for a food license before beginning operations and continuing to operate commercially.
The FSSAI has varied criteria for spice grinding units for different Indian spices such as turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, saffron, poppy, nutmeg, aniseed, pepper, and so on. These criteria apply to the acceptable limitations of extraneous matter, moisture, total ash, ash insoluble, volatile oil content, and insect-damaged materials in spices. The spice must also be free of artificial coloring, foreign vegetable matter, mold, living and dead insects, rat contamination, and other potentially dangerous things, according to FSSAI.
If the spice grinding equipment is capable of grinding more than 100 kg/liter to 2 MT/day, it must apply for a state license from the state licensing body. If the unit’s production capacity is smaller than that indicated above, the basic FSSAI registration should suffice to begin with. The central license issued by the Central licensing authority would be suitable for a spice grinding unit that can process more than 2 MT/day spices.
Also read- fssai number check
The following documents are necessary to obtain a Food License:
- Form-A is used for basic registration, and Form-B is used for state and central licenses.
- List of directors/proprietors/partners c. Photo identification and address evidence for each owner.
- Partnership Agreement or Certificate of Incorporation.
- Proof of ownership of the premises or a rental agreement.
- A food safety management plan or a certificate of compliance.
Why is the spice quality?
The developed countries give importance to the health of their citizens. These Import / Export laws are meant to protect the consumers from spices of lower quality, or food likely to be polluted by impurities or hazardous substances. As a result, whether it is pepper, cardamom, ginger, or another spice, it is critical that the product meets the quality criteria demanded by the importing country. Food products that have decayed, been damaged, become infected with microorganisms, or have been polluted by other contaminants are either destroyed by import authorities or returned to the exporting country. This not only results in market losses, but also destroys the prestige of the exporting country.