Producer Company (FPO) Registration Online — ₹4,999 + Govt. Fee
What a producer company is, and who can form one
A producer company is a company registered under Chapter XXIA (sections 378A to 378ZU) of the Companies Act, 2013 whose members are primary producers — farmers, dairy and poultry producers, fishers, weavers, artisans, forest gatherers — and whose objects are limited to activities connected with their produce: production, harvesting, procurement, grading, pooling, handling, marketing, selling, export, processing, and the supply of inputs, credit, insurance and technical services to members. It combines the mutual-benefit character of a cooperative with the limited liability and governance of a company, and it is the form used by the 10,000 FPOs promoted under the central FPO scheme.
Ten or more individual producers, two or more producer institutions, or a combination of the two can form a producer company. It must have at least five directors, its name must end with Producer Company Limited, and its shares can be held only by producer members. Registration is through SPICe+ with the standard MCA fee concession up to ₹15 lakh authorised capital.
Form a producer company if you are
- •A group of farmers or an FPO promoted under the central scheme, NABARD, SFAC or a state programme
- •Weavers, artisans, dairy or fishing communities pooling produce for better prices
- •An NGO or agri-business helping producers organise procurement and market linkage
- •A cooperative society considering conversion to a producer company under section 378K
Requirements for producer company registration
| Requirement | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Members | 10 or more individual producers, or 2 or more producer institutions, or a combination | Section 378C |
| Directors | Minimum 5, maximum 15; may co-opt up to 20% of the board as expert directors without voting rights on some matters | Section 378O, 378P |
| Objects | Only those listed in section 378B relating to primary produce and services to members | Section 378B |
| Name | Must end with Producer Company Limited | Section 378E |
| Capital | Equity shares only; no statutory minimum, though FPO schemes fund matching equity up to ₹15 lakh | Section 378ZB; FPO scheme guidelines |
| Registered office | Indian address with proof | Section 12 |
| Proof of producer status | Land records, kisan credit card, artisan card, membership of a cooperative or a certificate from the Gram Panchayat / agriculture officer | Registrar practice |
Documents required for producer company registration
For each of the 10 producer members
- •PAN card
- •Aadhaar card
- •Address proof not older than 2 months
- •Passport-size photograph
- •Proof of being a producer (land record / kisan card / artisan card / panchayat certificate)
For the 5 directors
- •Same identity and address documents
- •DIR-2 consent and DIR-8 declaration
- •Class 3 DSC (we obtain)
For the company
- •Registered-office utility bill and NOC
- •Producer-company memorandum and articles (we draft)
- •For a producer institution member: registration certificate and resolution
Producer company registration process
- 1Day 1–3 — Consultation with the promoter group: objects, membership list of 10 producers with proofs, board of 5, share capital and whether an FPO scheme (central FPO scheme, NABARD, SFAC, state) is being accessed.
- 2Day 3–5 — DSCs for the five directors; name search and SPICe+ Part A filing with a name ending Producer Company Limited.
- 3Day 5–10 — Memorandum with section 378B objects, articles under Chapter XXIA, subscriber sheet with producer declarations, DIR-2, INC-9 and AGILE-PRO-S.
- 4Day 10–12 — SPICe+ Part B filed; stamp duty paid for your state.
- 5Day 15–20 — Certificate of Incorporation, PAN and TAN issued.
- 6Within 90 days — First annual general meeting with adoption of the business plan and appointment of directors; bank account; scheme onboarding.
Producer company registration fees
| Item | Amount | Charged by |
|---|---|---|
| BookMyCA professional fee | ₹4,999 (all-inclusive) | BookMyCA |
| MCA incorporation fee (SPICe+) | Nil for authorised capital up to ₹15 lakh; slab fee above that | Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014 |
| Name reservation (SPICe+ Part A) | ₹1,000 per application (two names, valid 20 days) | MCA |
| PAN and TAN (allotted with incorporation) | ₹131 (PAN ₹66 + TAN ₹65) | Income Tax Department via MCA |
| Stamp duty on MoA, AoA and SPICe+ | Varies by state and authorised capital; computed by the MCA portal at filing | State Stamp Act |
| Digital Signature Certificates (5 directors) | About ₹1,500–₹2,500 each, at actuals | Licensed CA vendor |
Five DSCs make this the one line that adds up; we obtain them at the vendor's rate with no mark-up. FPOs under the central scheme are usually reimbursed the incorporation cost through the implementing agency.
What BookMyCA delivers for ₹4,999
- •Consultation on producer company versus cooperative society, and scheme eligibility
- •Membership and board structuring with the producer-proof checklist
- •Name search and SPICe+ Part A
- •Five DSCs and DINs, Chapter XXIA memorandum and articles, subscriber and director papers
- •SPICe+ Part B, INC-9 and AGILE-PRO-S filed and resubmissions handled
- •Certificate of Incorporation, PAN, TAN, bank-account support
- •First AGM agenda and minutes, share certificates and registers
- •Compliance calendar and guidance on the FPO equity grant and credit guarantee
Compliance for a producer company
| Compliance | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First AGM | Within 90 days of incorporation | Section 378ZA |
| Annual General Meeting | Every year within 6 months of financial year end | Section 378ZA |
| Board meetings | At least once every 3 months and 4 a year | Section 378Q |
| Internal audit and statutory audit | Every year; audit report covers loans to members and directors | Sections 378ZF, 378ZG |
| AOC-4 and MGT-7 | 30 and 60 days after the AGM | MCA annual filings |
| Income-tax return | By 31 October | Taxed as a company; the section 80PA deduction for eligible producer companies was time-limited, so the current position is checked each year |
| Patronage bonus and limited return | As decided at the AGM | Surplus distributed in proportion to members' participation, not shareholding |
Mistakes to avoid
- •Including a non-producer among the subscribers; the file is rejected or the member becomes a liability later
- •Objects that stray outside section 378B, such as general trading or real estate
- •Missing the 90-day first AGM, which delays scheme grants
- •A board without the agricultural or financial expertise the FPO needs; the Act allows expert directors for this
Frequently asked questions on producer company registration
Only primary producers — individuals engaged in farming, animal husbandry, fishing, handloom, handicraft or similar primary activity — or producer institutions. Traders and investors cannot be members.
Ten individual producers or two producer institutions (or a mix), and at least five directors.
₹4,999 BookMyCA fee plus government charges at actuals: nil MCA fee up to ₹15 lakh capital, ₹1,000 name fee, ₹131 PAN and TAN, five DSCs and state stamp duty.
A producer company is governed by the Companies Act with professional management, limited liability and freedom from state cooperative department control; it is the form the central FPO scheme prefers. A cooperative society is easier to form but subject to the Registrar of Cooperatives.
Yes. Providing credit facilities and financial services to members for their produce is a permitted object, and the company can borrow from banks; the central scheme also offers a credit guarantee.
About 15 to 20 working days, mainly because ten sets of documents and producer proofs must be collected and verified.
Producer companies are taxed as companies. The 100% deduction under section 80PA for eligible producer companies was available only for a limited period, so we confirm the current position before relying on it.