Organic Products Certification

  

Organic certification: Abbreviation for organic agricultural product certification

Organic certification is the abbreviation of organic agricultural product certification. Organic certification is meant for organic products like organic foods, organic toiletries, etc. Organic certification is a form of agricultural product certification recognized and vigorously promoted by some countries and relevant international organizations, and it is also one of the certification forms managed by the National Certification and Accreditation Administration of most countries. The purpose of promoting organic product certification is to promote and accelerate the development of the organic industry, to ensure the quality of organic product production and processing, to meet the growing demand of consumers for organic products, to reduce and prevent pesticides, fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals and agricultural waste Environmental pollution, promote the sustainable development of society, economy and environment.

 

Table of Contents

1. Related information 2. Organic Food Certification Procedures 3. Certification bodies ▪ Domestic organic certification body ▪ Foreign certification bodies

 

Relevant Information on Organic Certification

In India, APEDA, Ministry of Commerce & Industries, Government of India is implementing the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP). The program involves the accreditation of Certification Bodies, standards for organic production, promotion of organic farming and marketing etc. The NPOP standards for production and accreditation system have been recognized by European Commission and Switzerland for unprocessed plant products as equivalent to their country standards. With these recognitions, Indian organic products duly certified by the accredited certification bodies of India are accepted by the importing countries. APEDA is also in the process of negotiation with the UK, South Korea, Taiwan, Canada, Japan etc.

 

India is bestowed with lot of potential to produce all varieties of organic products due to its various agro climatic conditions. In several parts of the country, the inherited tradition of organic farming is an added advantage. This holds promise for the organic producers to tap the market which is growing steadily in the domestic and export sector.

Organic products crops are grown under a system of agriculture without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides with an environmentally and socially responsible approach. This is a method of farming that works at grass root level preserving the reproductive and regenerative capacity of the soil, good plant nutrition, and sound soil management, produces nutritious food rich in vitality which has resistance to diseases.

According to the available statistics, India's rank 8th in terms of World's Organic Agricultural land and 1st in terms of total number of producers as per 2020 data (Source: FIBL & IFOAM Year Book, 2020).

In Asia, China's organic product certification belongs to the category of product certification, according to the "Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Certification and Accreditation", "Organic Product Certification Management Measures" (Order No. 67 of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China in 2004) and relevant accreditation guidelines of the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment. According to the requirements of CNAS-CC23: 2006 "General Requirements for Product Certification Organizations" Guidelines for the Application of Organic Product Certification and international common practice, organic certification procedures generally include certification application and acceptance (including contract review), document review, on-site inspection (including Necessary sampling analysis), preparation of inspection reports, certification decision, certificate issuance and post-certification supervision and other main processes.

When applying for certification in writing, the applicant should submit the following materials to the organic certification body in accordance with the provisions of the "Organic Product Certification Implementation Rules": 

i. The applicant's legal business qualification documents, such as business license, land use certificate, lease contract, etc.

ii. Basic information about the applicant and organic production and processing, such as the applicant’s name, address and contact information, production and processing scale, including descriptions such as variety, area, output, and processing volume

iii. Regional scope of the origin (base), including geographical location map , land plot distribution map, plot map

iv. production, processing and sales plan of the organic product applying for certification

v. certification materials related to the environmental quality of the place of origin (base) and processing site

vi. Qualification certification materials of relevant professional technology and management personnel

vii. A statement to ensure the implementation of organic product standards

viii. Quality management system documents for organic production and processing

ix. Other relevant materials.

According to AQSIQ's "Organic Product Certification Management Measures", CNCA's "Organic Product Certification Implementation Rules" and other laws and regulations, and GB/T19630 "Organic Product National Standard", if enterprises want to sell their products as organic products, Must be certified organic. Institutions engaged in organic product certification must be approved by the National Certification and Accreditation Administration of China (CNCA for short). 

The approved certification bodies are announced on the website of CNCA. Only the certification bodies approved and published by CNCA are the legal bodies that can engage in certification activities. 

You can check the list of approved certification bodies on the CNCA website. The specific method is: CNCA website - comprehensive service area - organization query - certification body directory - select organic products (divided into four categories: plants, livestock and poultry, aquatic products and processing) .

The public can also inquire about the national directory of food and agricultural product certification enterprises and their certified products through the "Food and Agricultural Product Inquiry" service area of the CNCA website.

In accordance with the Ministry of Agriculture's strategic deployment of green food, pollution-free agricultural products, and organic food certification of "three in one, overall promotion", the organic food certification program and organic food logo have been officially launched.

Organic Food Certification Program 

1. Application

The applicant submits a formal application to the center (sub-center), fills in the application form and pays the application fee. The applicant fills in the application form for organic food certification, and receives inspection contracts, organic food certification questionnaires, basic requirements for organic food certification, a list of written materials for organic certification, applicant commitment letters and other documents. The applicant shall establish according to the requirements of the "Technical Guidelines for Organic Food Certification": quality management system; production process control system; tracking system.

2. The certification center approves the cost budget and formulates a preliminary inspection plan

The certification center estimates the inspection time based on the project conditions provided by the applicant. Generally, two inspections are required: one in the production process and one in processing, and based on this, the certification cost is estimated and a preliminary inspection plan is formulated.

3. Sign the certification inspection contract

l The applicant signs the certification inspection contract with the certification center in triplicate;

l Pay 50% of the estimated certification fee;

l Fill in the relevant survey form and prepare relevant materials;

l Appoint internal inspectors (at least one person for production and processing);

l All the materials shall be sent to the sub-centers in the form of documents and one copy of electronic documents.

4. First trial

l The sub-center conducts a preliminary review of the applicant's materials;

l Comprehensive review of applicants;

l The sub-center will feed back the initial review opinion to the certification center;

l The sub-center sends the electronic documents submitted by the applicant to the certification center by E-mail.

5. On-site inspection and evaluation

l The certification center is confirming that the applicant pays all the fees required for issuing the certificate;

l Send inspectors approved by the certification center;

l The inspectors obtain the relevant information of the applicant from the sub-center, and conduct inspections on the applicant's quality management system, production process control system, tracking system, place of origin, production, processing, storage, transportation, trade, etc. according to the "Organic Food Certification Technical Guidelines". On-site inspection and evaluation, if necessary, sampling and testing of soil and products.

6. Write inspection report

l After the inspector completes the inspection, write the inspection report according to the requirements of the certification center;

l The report shall be submitted to the certification center within 2 weeks after the inspection is completed;

l The sub-center submits the applicant's text information to the certification center.

7. Comprehensive review and evaluation opinions

The certification center conducts a comprehensive review and evaluation based on the questionnaire provided by the applicant, relevant materials and the inspection report of the inspector, compiles the certification evaluation form, and puts forward evaluation opinions for consideration by the certification committee.

8. Resolution of the Certification Committee

The Certification Committee regularly holds a working meeting of the Certification Committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the applicant's basic situation questionnaire, the inspector's inspection report and the certification center's evaluation opinions, and make a decision on whether to issue an organic certificate.

9. Issuance of certificates

According to the decision of the Certification Committee, certificates will be issued to qualified applicants. The applicant pays the rest of the certification fee, and the certification center issues a certificate to the certified applicant; the applicant who is conditionally issued a certificate must make a written commitment to make improvements according to the opinions put forward by the certification center.

10. Use of organic food logo

According to the requirements of the certificate and the "Organic Food (Product) Product Logo Use Regulations", sign the "Organic Food (Product) Product Logo Use Licensing Contract", and go through the procedures for using the organic/organic conversion logo.

11. maintain certification

| The organic food certification certificate is valid for one year. In the new year, COFCC will issue a "Notice of Maintaining Certification" to the certified enterprises.

After receiving the "Notice of Maintaining Certification", the certified enterprise should submit certification materials as required, communicate with the contact person to determine the time of on-site inspection and pay relevant fees in time.

| The procedures for document review, on-site inspection, comprehensive review, and certification decision for maintaining certification are the same as those for initial certification.

Indian Organic Certification Bodies

Sr.
No
Name of the
Certification Agency
Contact Person & Address Accreditation No. Validity of
Current
Accreditation
Scope of
Accreditation
Certification Mark
3 IMO Control Pvt. Ltd. Contact Person: NPOP/NAB/003 28.09.2022
(Validity of
accreditation has been
extended up to
28.01.2023)
NPOP
Mr. Umesh Chandrasekhar
Director
Address:
No. 3627, 1st Floor, 7th Cross, 13th ‘ G ’
Main, H.A.L. 2nd Stage, Bangalore-
560 008.
Tel. No: +91-80-25285883, 25201546,
25215780
Fax:0091-80-25272185
Email:imo@imocontrol.in
Website:www.imocontrol.in
4 Indian Organic
Certification Agency
(INDOCERT)
Contact Person:
Mr. Mathew Sebastian
Executive Director
Address:
Kuttamassery, Thottumugham P.O Aluva
– 5, Ernakulam District Kerala
Telefax: 0484 2922400, 2630908
Email: info@indocert.org
Website: www.indocert.org
NPOP/NAB/004 24.09.2023 NPOP
Mushroom
w.e.f 15.04.2019
Animal Feed Processing
and Handling
w.e.f 16.07.2020
Not eligible for Category
A&F as
per EU Regulation w.e.f
01.01.2022
5 Lacon Quality
Certification Pvt.
Ltd.
Contact Person:
Mr. Bobby Issac
Director
NPOP/NAB/006 30.09.2023 NPOP
Address:
Chenathra, Theepany, Thiruvalla -
689 101 (Kerala)
Tel. No: 0469 2606447
Fax: 0469 2631902
Email:info@laconindia.com
Website:www.laconindia.com
Livestock
w.e.f 15.04.2019
Animal Feed
Processing & Handling
w.e.f 03.02.2020
Not eligible for Category
A&F as per EU
Regulation w.e.f
01.01.2022

Sr.
No
Name of the
Certification Agency
Contact Person & Address Accreditation No. Validity of
Current
Accreditation
Scope of
Accreditation
Certification Mark
6 OneCert International
Private Limited.
Contact Person:
Mr. Sandeep Bhargava
Director
Address:
H-08, Mansarovar Industrial Area, Mansarovar Jaipur-
302020, Rajasthan
Phone & Fax- 0141-2395481,6541882,
6541883(Direct)
Email: info@onecertinternational.com,
sandeep@onecertinternational.com
Website: www.onecertinternational.com
NPOP/NAB/008 20.10.2021 NPOP
Livestock
w.e.f 08.04.2016
Animal Feed
Processing &
Handling
w.e.f 20.06.2017
Aquaculture
w.e.f 01.06.2018
(w.e.f: 23-01-2015)Mushroom
w.e.f 15.04.2019
Seaweed, Aquatic
Plants & Green
House Crop
Production
w.e.f 15.04.2019
Not eligible for
Category A&F as per
EU Regulation w.e.f
01.01.2022
Accreditation has
been suspended
(NPOP)
for 1 year
w.e.f 20.10.2021

Sr.
No
Name of the
Certification Agency
Contact Person & Address Accreditation No. Validity of
Current
Accreditation
Scope of
Accreditation
Certification Mark
7 SGS India Pvt. Ltd. Contact Person:
Mr. Soumik Mondal
National Certification Manager
Address:
SGS India Pvt Ltd 226,Udyog
Vihar, Phase-I Gurgaon-122016
Haryana
Tel: +91 124 6776300 Ext 6379
91 124 6776379 (Direct) Fax:
+911246776403/04 Mobile:
+91 8860117818
Email: Soumik.Mondal@sgs.com
Website: www.sgsgroup.in
NPOP/NAB/009 01.05.2023 NPOP
8 CU Inspections India Pvt
Ltd. (w.e.f.
19/12/2018)
Contact Person:
Dr. Binay Kumar Choudhury
Chairman
Address:
22nd & 23rd Floor, B Wing Arihant Aura, Plot No. 13/1,
TTC, Opp, Turbhe Railway Station, Thane Belapur
Road, MIDC Side, Navi Mumbai
- 400705, Maharashtra
Tel: +91-22-61294300
Fax:+91-22-61294217
Mobile: 9969002860
Email:
cuorganic@controlunion.combkchoudhury
@controlunion.com
Website: www.controlunion.com
NPOP/NAB/0010 28.05.2023 NPOP
Livestock
w.e.f 21.04.2016
Seaweed, Aquatic
Plants &
GreenHouse Crop
Production
w.e.f 15.04.2019
Aquaculture
w.e.f 15.04.2019
Not eligible for
Category A&F as
perEU Regulation
w.e.f01.01.2022
(w.e.f: 01-07-2013)

Sr.
No
Name of the
Certification Agency
Contact Person & Address Accreditation No. Validity of
Current
Accreditation
Scope of
Accreditation
Certification Mark
9 Uttarakhand State
Organic Certification
Agency
(USOCA)
Contact Person:
Sh. Gauri Shankar
Director
Address:
Third Floor, Krishak Bhavan
Mussoorie By Pass Ring Road
Nehru Gram, Dehradun, Uttarakhand Tel :
0135 2671734
Email: info@usoca.org
Website: www.usoca.org
NPOP/NAB/0011 13.11.2024 NPOP
Livestock
w.e.f 08.06.2016
Seaweed, Aquatic
plants and
Greenhouse Crop
Production
w.e.f 01.06.2018
10 APOF Organic
Certification Agency
(AOCA)
Contact Person :
Mr. Himanand Semwal
Director
Address:
Row House No A, Shroff Suhana, Veerbhadra Nagar,
Baner, Pune, Maharashtra (Pincode -411045) Landmark-
Opp. to
Maruti Nexa & Skoda Showroom, (Pashan Highway Side
Road)Phone: 7720073202, 8806230301
Email: info@aoca.in
Website: www.aoca.in
NPOP/NAB/0012 28.03.2022 NPOP
Accreditation
under NPOP has
been terminated
w.e. f.
22.07.2022
11 Rajasthan State Organic
Certification Agency
(RSOCA)
(w.e.f: 24-01-2019)
Contact Person:
Mr. Mahesh Verma
Director
Address:
3rd Floor, Pant Krishi Bhawan, Janpath,
Jaipur 302 005Rajasthan
Tel. No.:
0141-
2227104,Tele
Fax:0141-
2227456
Email: rsoca.admn@gmail.com
Website:www.agriculture.rajasthan.gov.in
NPOP/NAB/0013 09.10.2022
(Validity of
accreditation has been
extended up to
09.02.2023)
NPOP
Livestock w.e.f
26.07.2018
(w.e.f: 24-01-2019)

Sr.
No
Name of the
Certification Agency
Contact Person & Address Accreditation No. Validity of
Current
Accreditation
Scope of
Accreditation
Certification Mark
12 ISCOP (Indian
Society for
Certification of
Organic Products)
Contact Person:
Prof: Dr. S.R. Sree Rangasamy
President
Address:
VCS Enclave, No.2/1, Nehru Street
B. R. Puram Peelamedu, Coimbatore -
641004, Tamil Nadu
Tel: 0422-2575566;
Mobile: +91 94432 95403
Email: iscopcbe@gmail.com
Website:www.iscop.org
NPOP/NAB/0015 30.09.2023 NPOP
Accreditation
has been
reinstated w.e.f.
05.10.2021
13 TQ Cert Services Private Contact person: NPOP/NAB/0016 30.11.2021 NPOP
(w.e.f: 07-12-2017)
Limited (formerly Mr. Tenny Koshy Cherian
FoodCert India Private
Limited) Director Accreditation has
Address: been suspended
A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Tata Projects Limited (NPOP) for
4th floor, Mithona Towers-I 1-7-80 to 87 1 year w.e.f.
Prenderghast Road, Secunderabad Telangana - 12.01.2022
500003
Mob : +91 9848335693; 9654803362
Email:
tq@tqcert.in;tennycherian@tataprojec
ts.com
Website: www.tqcert.in
14 Aditi Organic
Certifications Pvt. Ltd
Contact person:
Mr. Narayana Upadhyaya
Director
Address:
Aditi Organic Certifications Pvt. Ltd.
No. 38, 1st Floor, 20th Main Road, FirstBlock,
Rajajinagar,Bengaluru-560010
Tel.: +91-08023328134/35/36
Fax: +91-80-23373083
Mobile: +91-9845064286
Email: aditiorganic@gmail.com
Website:www.aditicert.net
NPOP/NAB/0017 30.09.2023 NPOP
(w.e.f 1.6.2010)
Livestock
w.e.f 15.04.2019
Overseas
Certification
(Middle East, NW
Asia and
neighboring
countries)
w.e.f 16.07.2020
&
(w.e.f: 22-10-2014)
Africa
w.e.f 15.03.2021

Sr.
No
Name of the
Certification Agency
Contact Person & Address Accreditation No. Validity of
Current
Accreditation
Scope of
Accreditation
Certification Mark
15 Chhattisgarh Contact person: NPOP/NAB/0018 15.09.2024 NPOP
Certification Society, Shri Atul Kumar
India (CGCERT) Shukla(IFS)
Chief Executive Officer
Address:
Campus SFRTI Near Vidhan Sabha Zero
point, Baloda Bazar Road, Raipur,
Chhattisgarh 493 111
Tel: +91-771-2283249
Fax : +91-771-2283249
Email: cgcert@gmail.com
Website: www.cgcert.com
16 Tamil Nadu Organic
Certification
Department (TNOCD)
Contact person:
Mr. A. Mathialagan Director
Address:
NPOP/NAB/0019 30.09.2024 NPOP
1424 A, Thadagam Road
G.C.T Post, Coimbatore – 641013
Tamil Nadu
Tel.: 04222435080
Fax: 04222457554
Email: tnocdcbe@gmail.com
Website: www.tnocd.net
17 Intertek India Pvt.
Ltd.
ContactPerson:
Mr. NeerajGupta
(Head – Certification, Food Services)
NPOP/NAB/0020 19.05.2022 NPOP
Accreditation has
been re-instated
w.e.f. 05.10.2021
(w.e.f: 02-01-2019)
Address:
E-20, Block B-1
Mohan Cooperative Industrial Estate Mathura Road
New Delhi - 110 044
Ph : +91-11-4159 5430/
+91 9971656236
Fax : +91-11-4159 5475
E-mail : neeraj.gupta@intertek.com
Website : www.intertek.com

Sr.
No
Name of the
Certification Agency
Contact Person & Address Accreditation No. Validity of
Current
Accreditation
Scope of
Accreditation
Certification Mark
18 Madhya Pradesh Contact Person : NPOP/NAB/0022 30.09.2023 NPOP
State Organic Mr. K.S. Tekam (w.e.f 01.10.2011)
CertificationAgency Managing Director
Address:
Vasundhara, B-II Office Complex
Gautam Nagar
Bhopal 462 023
Madhya Pradesh Tel :
0755 2600609
E-mail: md.mpsoca@gmail.com
Website: www.mpsoca.org
19 Odisha State Organic Contact Person: NPOP/NAB/0025 30.05.2024 NPOP
Certification Agency Mr.Subrat Kumar Mishra CEO
(OSOCA) Address:
Plot No.-326, Baramunda,
Bhubaneswar, Dist. Khordha,
Orissa-751003
Phone-(0674) 2563639/2561783 Fax.-
(0674)2562078
Mobile No.- 9437211001
Email: ceoosoca@gmail.com
directorossca@rediffmail.com
Website:
www.ossopca.nic.in/osoca.aspx
20 Natural Organic
Certification Agro Contact Person:
Mr. Sanjay Deshmukh NPOP/NAB/0026 14.02.2023 NPOP
(w.e.f:1-12-2011)
Pvt. Ltd. Managing Director
Address:
Flat No. A-6, 3rd Floor,
Pol Heights, Above LodhaHospital,
Mumbai-Bangalore Highway,
Warhe,Pune-411058
Tel-91-20-65218063
Cell no. 09822006586, 8888810492
Email: nocaindia@gmail.com,
nocaagro@gmail.com
Website: www.nocaagro.com

Sr.
No
Name of the
Certification Agency
Contact Person & Address Accreditation No. Validity of
Current
Accreditation
Scope of
Accreditation
Certification Mark
21 Fair Cert Certification
Services Pvt.Ltd.
Contact Person:
Dr. Pushkar Kulshrestha CEO
Address:
5th F. 504 3rd Eye Vision,
Opposite Shivalik Plaza,
Panjarapole, IIM Road, Ahmedabad,
Gujarat, India, 380015
Tel : +91-7282-231271/203017
Fax : +91-7282-231271
E-mail: cert.fair@gmail.com
Website: www.faircert.com
NPOP/NAB/0027 14.02.2023 NPOP
Accreditation has
been suspended
(NPOP)
for 6 months
w.e.f 22.07.2022
22 Gujarat Organic
Products Certification
Agency (GOPCA)
Contact Person:
Mr. Mahebub Keshubhai Kureshi
Director
Address:
Beej Pramanan Bhavan Opp.
Gokul Row House,
Nr. Shyamal Cross Satellite,
Ahmedabad 380 015 Gujarat
Mob: +919825500813
Tel : +079-26740031
Fax : +079-26740031
E-mail: dirgopca@gmail.com
Website: www.gopca.in
NPOP/NAB/0028 19.06.2023 NPOP
(w.e.f
20.06.2014)
23 Uttar Pradesh State
Organic Certification
Agency
Contact Person:
Dr. A.P.
Srivastava
Director
Address:
Government Garden Campus
Kariyappa Road, Alambagh
Lucknow 226 005
Uttar Pradesh
Tel : +91 – 0522 – 2451639
Mobile : +917991202001
E-mail: upsoca.org@gmail.com
Website: www.upsoca.org
NPOP/NAB/0029 19.06.2023 NPOP
(w.e.f
20.06.2014)

Chinese Organic Certification bodies

• Domestic organic certification body
• China Quality Certification Center (CQC)
• Square Mark Certification Group (CQM)
• Beijing Zhongjin Nuo Certification Center (COIC)
• Shanghai Quality System Audit Center (SAC)
• Guangdong Zhongjian Certification Co., Ltd. (GZCC)
• Zhejiang Gongxin Certification Co., Ltd. (GAC)
• Hangzhou Wantai Certification Co., Ltd. (WIT)
• Beijing Zhongan Quality and Environmental Certification Center Co., Ltd. [3] (ZAZH)
• Beijing China Green China Organic Food Certification Center (COFCC)
• Central United (Beijing) Certification Center Co., Ltd. (CEC)
• Beijing Land Bridge Quality Inspection and Certification Center Co., Ltd. (BQC)
• Hangzhou Zhongnong Quality Certification Center (OTRDC)
• Beijing Continental Hengtong Certification Co., Ltd. (CHTC)
• Liaoning Fangyuan Organic Food Certification Co., Ltd. (FOFCC)
• Liaoning Liaohuan Certification Center (LEOFCC)
• Beijing Wuyue Huaxia Management Technology Center (CHC)
• Dalian Academy of Environmental Sciences
• Heilongjiang Stand Certification Co., Ltd. (HSC)
• Northwest A&F University Accreditation Center (YLOFCC)
• Nanjing Guohuan Organic Product Certification Center (OFDC)
• Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Environmental Protection Science Research Institute Certification Center

 

 

World Countries Organic Certification bodies

• EU International Ecological Certification Center (ECOCERT)
• Certified Organic by VERYTRUST Organic Association of New Zealand
• Organic Crop Improvement Association International (OCIA)
• German natural organic certification BDIH
• Swiss Institute for Ecological Markets (IMO)
• Japan Organic Agriculture Certification (JAS)