APEDA: the statutory authority for farm and processed food exports that replaced the Processed Food Export Promotion Council

Background

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act passed by the Parliament in December, 1985. The Act, numbered 2 of 1986, came into effect from 13th February, 1986 by a notification in the Gazette of India. The Authority replaced the Processed Food Export Promotion Council (PFEPC).
Its assigned functions include registration of persons as exporters of the scheduled products, fixing of standards and specifications for the scheduled products for the purpose of exports, carrying out inspection of meat and meat products, and improving the packaging and the marketing of the scheduled products outside India.
The scheduled products run from fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry and dairy to honey, cereals, groundnuts, guar gum, floriculture and cashew nuts. Basmati Rice has been included in the Second Schedule of APEDA Act, and the Authority has also been entrusted with monitoring the import of sugar.
As prescribed by the statute the Authority consists of a Chairman, appointed by the Central Government; the Agricultural Marketing Advisor to the Government of India, ex-officio; one member representing the Niti Aayog; and eight members representing Central Government ministries. Three members of Parliament of whom two are elected by the House of People and one by the Council of States also sit on the Authority.
APEDA also functions as the Secretariat to the National Accreditation Board (NAB) for accreditation of the certification bodies under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), under which products for export must be produced, processed and packed to be certified as organic.