If you’re new to buying basmati from India, you’ll run into three acronyms almost immediately: APEDA, RCMC and RCAC. They’re related but distinct, and understanding the order they build on each other in makes the whole system much less confusing.
APEDA
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is the Indian government body responsible for promoting and regulating the export of scheduled agricultural products, including basmati rice. APEDA doesn’t certify individual companies directly for basmati — it administers the registration system that does.
RCMC — Registration-cum-Membership Certificate
The RCMC is the foundational registration issued by APEDA (or the relevant export promotion council) that identifies a business as a registered exporter of scheduled products. It’s a prerequisite for accessing various export incentive schemes, and critically, it’s also the prerequisite for the basmati-specific certificate below — you can’t get an RCAC without holding an RCMC first.
RCAC — Registration Certification for Authorised Certified Basmati
The RCAC is the certificate specific to basmati rice, tied to basmati’s status as a Geographical Indication (GI) protected product under Indian law. Because “basmati” is a legally protected term linked to specific regions and varieties, an exporter needs RCAC registration to legitimately label and export rice as basmati rather than as a generic long-grain rice. For markets like the US, China and Saudi Arabia, basmati shipments also require a joint declaration through APEDA confirming that export quantities match the exporter’s registered basmati processing capacity — a mechanism designed to prevent non-basmati rice being passed off as basmati at export.
Why this should matter to you as a buyer
If a supplier can’t produce a valid RCMC and RCAC when asked, that’s a legitimate reason to pause before placing an order labelled as basmati — without them, the “basmati” designation on the shipment isn’t backed by the registration the term legally requires. Asking to see current registration status is a completely normal, expected question in this trade, not an awkward one.
Where this fits with other certifications
RCMC and RCAC sit alongside, not instead of, other requirements covered on our Certifications & Compliance page — including FSSAI export licensing, phytosanitary and fumigation certificates, and Certificate of Origin. Together, these are what actually let a container of rice clear customs at the other end and carry the “basmati” name legitimately.
Have a question about our current registration status for a specific market? Request a quote and ask — we’d rather be asked directly than have a buyer guess.