Introduction

Increased and improper use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides creates a problem like degradation od soil health, emergence of new pests and diseases, wiping out of eco-friendly micro-organisms and percolation of toxic chemicals into our food chain threatening the existence of our biosphere. Hence organic farming is the best solution.to sustain agricultural production and productivity which is helpful to keep the natural resources safe and environment healthy.

According to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), “Organic Agriculture is a unique production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including bio diversity, biological cycle and soil biological activity. This is accomplished by using on farm agronomic, biological and mechanical methods in exclusion of all synthetic off-farm inputs”

 

Need of Organic Certification

Organic certification assures the consumer about the product being utilized. Systematic approach of evaluation and thorough verification of the compliance level with respect to the well-defined and widely accepted standards fosters the confidence of the consumers by assuring quality of the product and the operations. Third party verification and testing provide surety for all producers, processors and buyers. Altogether, it is a step forward to promote healthy food and enhance social and economic health.

1.3.4 Third Party Certification Principles (Annex A to ISO/IEC 17065) As stated above, the overall aim of certification is to give confidence to all interested parties that a product fulfils specified requirements. The value of certification is the degree of confidence and trust that is established by an impartial and competent demonstration of specified requirements by a third-party. Parties that have an interest in certification include, but are not limited to:

• the clients of the certification bodies;
• the customers of the organisations whose products are certified;
• governmental authorities;
• non-governmental organisations, and
• consumers and other members of the public

 

What is Organic Certification?

Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit. Organic certification is a certification process for producers and processor of organic food and other organic agricultural products.

India Organic is a certification mark for organically farmed food products manufactured in India. The certification mark certifies that an organic food product confirms to the National Standards for Organic Products^.

These standards ensures that the product or the raw materials used in the product were grown through organic management system, without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or induced hormones/GMO material. The certification is issued by certification body accredited by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the National Program for Organic Production of the Government of India.

Even though the standards are in effect since 2000, the certification scheme and hence the certification mark came into existence in 2002.