ORGANIC CERTIFICATION

What Is Certification

Certification is the procedure by which officially

recognized certification bodies, provide written
or equivalent assurance that foods or food
control systems conform to requirements of
organic operation.

All the certified organic products carry the organic labels

and certification marks.
Why Certification Is Needed………

Organic certification aims at building trust

between consumer and organic farmers.

Organic labels and certification marks help the

consumer to recognize trust worthy organic
products easily.

Important marketing tools.

Allow to achieve a better price compared to

conventional products.
Advantages of Certification…

Organic certification build trust consumer

and organic farmers.

Organic labels and certification marks help

the consumer to identify the organic
products easily.

Better price compared to conventional

products.
 International Organic
Standards

 NPOP - Indian Standards

 NOP - National Organic Program, USA
 EU norms - EEC Regulation2092/91
 JAS - Japanese Agricultural Standard
 IFOAM - International Federation for
Organic Agriculture Movement
 Certification Requirements…

 Comply with the act and applicable organic

production and handling regulation.

 Complete updated organic system plan.

 Permit on-site inspections with complete

access to all facilities.

 Maintain all applicable records at least for 3

years.

 Summit applicable fees.

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION
OF GROWER GROUP
 What is Grower Group Certification

Grower Group Certification is the

internal quality system and shall apply
to small holding farmer groups,
farmer’s cooperatives, contract
production and small scale processing
unit.
 Benefits of Grower Group Certification

For Individual farmers(More than 10 Acres)

Rs2500/- per Acre to Rs.150/- Per Acre per year.

For Grower Group FarmersRs.250/- to Rs.45/-

Per Acre Per Year.

Farmers are in a better position to conduct

collective bargaining with buyers.
 Benefits of Grower Group Certification

Transportation costs incurred by group members

delivering their produce to market are reduced.

National or international buyers are able to buy

commodities in bulk.

Input providers have the opportunity to market to

group members.
 Benefits of Grower Group Certification

Buyers and processors are ensured a regular

supply of produce, maintained at a consistent
quality.

Information can easily be disseminated

amongst large numbers of farmers.
 Definition ICS

An Internal Control System (ICS) is a

documented quality assurance system
that allows the external certification body
to delegate the annual inspection of
individual group members to an
identified body/unit within the certified
operator.
 Certification

General Population of
Farmers

Farmers Registered in ICS

Formation of Group
 Certification

ICS Coordinator/Approval
Committee

Apply for organic certification

Certification Body
 Role of ICS – Grower Group
Certification
Internal Control System (ICS)
• Manage the Grower Group
• Internal inspection and field advise for farmers
• Internal approval and handling of non-compliances
• Documentation of farmer and farm data
• Product flow control

Farmers in the organic project

 How ICS Reduce The Cost of
Certification
Responsibilities of ICS
 Identification of farmers
 Develop the grower group
 Registration of grower group
 Manage the Grower Group
 Internal inspection and field advise for farmers
 Internal approval and handling of non-compliances
 Documentation of farmer and farm data
 How Grower Group Get
Certified
 Small land holding farmers make a group and
apply for organic certification
 Trader can apply for certification of grower group
 NGO’s can manage the grower group and apply for
certification
 The State Government has developed many
schemes to support Smallholder Group certification
 Documentation – Farmers &
ICS
Records kept by farmer
 Contract
 Day-to-day field records
and yield Data;
consolidated field data
 Farm map (s)
 Internal inspection report
(from previous year) with
details of sanction
 Sales receipts
Records kept by ICS Operator
 Contract
 Basic data form with farmers
details crops, area, yield etc.
 Overview maps
 Internal inspection reports with
agreed improvements to be
made and discussed sanctions
 Details of sanctions and
external inspection reports
Grower Group Certification
Procedure
 Grower Group Certification Procedure

Applicants Call

 Telephone
 Applicant visit to certification body
 Through extn. Worker
 E-mail
 Written request

Entry into
Enquiry Register
 Grower Group Certification Procedure

Dispatch
Application Packet
Contain
• Application for Certification
• Certification Agreement
• Fees Schedule
• Organic Farm Plan Questionnaire/
• Organic
OneCert Asia Application
Handling Packet
Plan Questionnaire/
• Organic Livestock Plan Questionnaire
• Field History Form
• Farm Products and Inventory List
• Organic Product Profile
Grower Group Certification Procedure

Sending Complete / duly signed

application packet to Certification
Body.
 Grower Group Certification Procedure

INITIAL REVIEW

For Administrative Completeness and Technical Completeness

Grower Group Certification Procedure
INSPECTION
Grower Group Certification Procedure
Grower Group Certification Procedure

EU 2092 / 91
Records for Organic
Certification
Records…

Complete Updated Field maps.

Field Activity Log (s).

Field History Sheets (Previous three years.)

Compost Production Records.

Monitoring Records (soil tests, tissue tests,

water tests, quality tests, observations).
Records…

Harvest Records.

Input Record.

Source of Organic Seeds and

Planting Stock Record.
An Organic Certification Agency
 Accreditations

Accredited as per
– NOP
– ISO-65/EU-2092/91
– NPOP
–certified Organic Products to JAPAN
as per JAS
 Certifications for

Crop Production Livestock

Wild Craft

Processing and
Handling Horticulture
 Certifications for

Plantation- Controlled
Tea/Coffee Climate

Sericulture

Beekeeping Aquaculture