Section 2 of APGMA : Section 2: Explanations

Explanation using Example

Let's consider a farmer, Ravi, who grows apples in his orchard and wants to sell them in the market with a quality assurance mark. He understands that "agricultural produce" under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937 includes his apples. He decides to have them graded and accordingly marked.

Ravi contacts a government-approved grading service which assesses his apples and assigns a "grade designation" based on their quality, size, and sweetness. The apples are then packed in crates ("covering") and a "grade designation mark" is attached to each crate to indicate the grade of the apples inside.

Unfortunately, a dishonest trader tries to sell inferior apples with counterfeit grade designation marks, claiming they are of the same high quality as Ravi's graded apples. This act of using a "counterfeit" mark is in violation of the law as defined in section 28 of the Indian Penal Code and the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937.

Consumers can trust the grade designation marks on Ravi's apple crates, knowing that they are not "misgraded," as the quality of the apples matches the prescribed standards for the grade indicated. If Ravi's apples were to be tampered with after grading, they would be considered misgraded according to the Act.

This law ensures that Ravi and consumers are protected from fraudulent practices, and it supports fair trade by providing a reliable indication of the quality of agricultural products.