Quality has been a tradition in the spice trade of India and to maintain this tradition and to be in keeping with modern developments in the field of standardization of agricultural produce. the Government of India has prescribed standards for almost all spices pepper. dry ginger. Cardamom. dry chillies. turmeric. garlic. coriander. fennel. fenugreek. cumin and celery seeds and curry powder are graded compulsorily under law before export. The grades adopted for various spices are those prescribed under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking Act 1937); and these Grades are popularly known as Agmark Grades. The scheme of compulsory Quality Control and Preshipment Inspection on certain spices was introduced by the Government of India in 1963 and from then on. the scheme is being introduced to cover all the spices in a phased programme. The preshipment inspection scheme is operated by the Directorate of Marketing Inspection. Ministry of Agriculture. Government of India.
The grade specifications have been brawn up on the basis of age-old and familiar trade names such as Malabar Pepper. Alleppey Green Cardamom. Snnam Chillies. Alleppey Finger Turmeric. Cochin Dry Ginger etc.. so as not to disturb the traditional terms. Detailed specifications have been prescribed in the rules taking into account the individual characteristics of the spices concerned and broadly based on physical characteristic. colour. size. density. moisture content. presence of extraneous matter. damaged produce etc.
Importers of spices from India would be well advised to place orders on the basis of agmark grades or ascertain from the exporters the specific agmark grades of the spices proposed to be exported. In orders being placed on the basis of samples also. the specific grade under which such goods will be graded could be ascertained so tl porter is assured of the quality characteristics of the spices for which orders are placed.