The Complete Compliance Checklist for Agritech and Food Processing

Agritech and food processing businesses in India sit at the intersection of food safety law, environmental clearance and labour compliance, whether the operation is a farm-to-consumer platform, a cold chain business or a processing plant. This checklist covers the compliance areas that matter most.

Key facts at a glance

• FSSAI Basic Registration now covers turnover up to Rs 1.5 crore; State Licence covers up to Rs 50 crore, above which Central Licence applies.
• FSSAI licences and registrations issued from 1 April 2026 have no fixed expiry date and continue until suspended, cancelled or the business closes.
• FSSAI inspections have moved to a risk-based model, including third-party audits when directed.
• Food processing units generally need Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate from the State Pollution Control Board.
• Pre-packaged food products must comply with Legal Metrology labelling rules (net quantity, MRP, manufacturing date).
• EPF applies once a company has 20 or more employees; ESI applies at 10 or more employees.
• Street vendors registered under the Street Vendors Act 2014 are deemed registered under FSSAI.

FSSAI licensing across the agritech value chain

Any business that manufactures, processes, packages, stores, distributes or sells food needs FSSAI registration or licensing, and agritech companies often touch multiple stages of this chain at once (procurement, cold storage, packaging, direct-to-consumer delivery). The 2026 FSSAI amendment rules raised the Registration threshold to Rs 1.5 crore turnover and the State Licence threshold to Rs 50 crore, which brings more small and mid-sized food processing units into the simpler Registration or State Licence categories rather than requiring Central Licensing.

From 1 April 2026, new licences and registrations no longer carry a fixed expiry date, continuing until suspended, cancelled or the business closes. This is a meaningful operational change for agritech companies that previously had to track annual FSSAI renewal cycles across multiple processing or storage locations. Businesses holding licences issued before that date should confirm the specific transition treatment with FSSAI rather than assume the same rule applies retroactively.

Environmental clearance for processing units

Food processing typically generates effluent, solid waste or emissions depending on the process (washing, cooking, drying, packaging), which means most units need Consent to Establish before construction and Consent to Operate from the State Pollution Control Board before starting operations. The specific category (Red, Orange, Green, White) depends on the process type and scale, and determines the intensity of ongoing monitoring and renewal requirements.

Legal Metrology for packaged products

Any agritech or food processing company selling pre-packaged goods by weight, measure or count must comply with Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, which require accurate declarations of net quantity, maximum retail price, manufacturing or packing date, and manufacturer details on every package. This applies whether the product is sold through retail, quick commerce or direct-to-consumer channels, and non-compliance can attract penalties independent of any FSSAI issue.

Labour compliance at processing and warehousing sites

Food processing and cold-chain operations often combine factory-floor labour with logistics and warehousing staff, and both fall under the same statutory thresholds. EPF is mandatory once a company crosses 20 employees (Rs 15,000/month wage ceiling), and ESI is mandatory at 10 employees (Rs 21,000/month wage ceiling, 1+ for hazardous processing units). Processing units may also fall under the Factories Act depending on power usage and worker count, which brings additional safety and working-condition obligations beyond the standard Shops and Establishments framework.

Street vendors and informal supply chain links

Agritech platforms that work with street vendors or informal sellers should note that vendors registered under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood) Act 2014 are deemed registered under FSSAI, which simplifies onboarding these sellers into a formal supply chain without requiring a separate FSSAI registration step for each vendor.

If you are not sure where your agritech or food processing business stands on FSSAI and related compliance, ComplianceCheck's food business assessment gives you a clear picture in a few minutes.

Sources

• FSSAI — fssai.gov.in
• Ministry of Consumer Affairs (Legal Metrology) — consumeraffairs.nic.in
• Respective State Pollution Control Board
• EPFO — epfindia.gov.in
• ESIC — esic.gov.in
• GST portal — gst.gov.in

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Requirements vary by state, sector and headcount - confirm specifics with a compliance professional or the relevant authority.