Organic Crop Production Certification Process in India

Due to its varied agroclimatic conditions, India has immense potential for producing all types of organic products. Organic farming has been practiced since ancient times in most parts of our country, which is an added advantage for us, allowing us to take advantage of the growing demand for organic products in domestic and international markets.

Under an environmentally and socially concerned agricultural system, organic products are produced without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. It is a grassroots farming approach that maintains the soil’s fertility and regenerative potential, promotes healthy plant nutrition, and manages the soil well to produce wholesome, disease-resistant food.

The organic crop production certification process in India, as per the National Program for Organic Production (NPOP), involves application, documentation, and field verification to ensure adherence to standards for organic farming.

How can I distinguish organic products at the retail location?

Given how similar organic and conventional products seem, the only method to recognize organic food on the market is to confirm its certification and quality mark in the form of a logo. All organic food must bear the JAIVK BHARAT emblem in addition to its certification logo,  following the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations, 2017.

Organic  Crop Production Certification: What is it?
Avoiding synthetic chemical inputs (such as fertilizer, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, food additives, etc.) and genetically modified organisms are among the production standards for growing, storing, processing, packaging, and shipping that are part of the process certification known as “organic certification.

Maintaining thorough written documentation of sales and output (audit trail) to ensure that organic and non-certified products are kept physically apart, undergoing routine inspections on the premises.

Importance of the crop organic certification:

Organic certification is important for facilitating the sale of authentic and high-quality organic products to consumers and regulating production and processing in accordance with the National Standards for Organic Production (NSOP). Organic crop certification opens up avenues for producers to sell organic products in domestic and international markets.

Organic Certification System in India;

There are two organic certification programs in India. Despite having similar national standards as their foundation, the two systems take distinct approaches to documentation and verification.

1) The Participatory Guarantee System for India (PGS-India) is for local and domestic markets.

2) The National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) is for exports.

A) The National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) Certification ;

NPOP certification is a kind of third-party certification in which the farm or the processing of the agricultural produce is certified under national or international organic standards by an accredited organic certification agency.  NPOP certification is facilitated by the Agriculture, Processed Food, and Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Govt of India.

Due to the high costs and additional paperwork associated with third-party certification, small and marginal farmers cannot apply for certification.

The Participatory Guarantee System for India (PGS-India) is for local and domestic markets.

The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation & Farmers Welfare introduced the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS)-INDIA organic certification system in 2011 to make it easier, more affordable, and simpler for small and marginal farmers to adopt certification and continue selling in the domestic market.

Participatory guarantee systems are locally focused quality assurance systems built on a foundation of trust, social networks, and knowledge exchange. In the context of organic agriculture, PGS is a method in which people in similar situations (in this case, producers) analyze, inspect, and verify the production practices of each other and collectively certify the entire holding of the group as organic.

The National Centre of Organic Farming (NCOF) serves as the Secretariat for PGS-India, which is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.

PGS-India’s organic certification system module:

PGS India enables farms a system for ongoing organic integrity verification, as well as online marketing, traceability, and processing and handling both on and off the farm. As listed below, there are now three different kinds of modules developed:

1. Crop Production Module

2. Processing and Handling Module

3: Live Stock Module and Additional Modules

1. Module for Crop Production: The full certification process;

The PGS-INDIA web portal now allows for entire certification operations. RC will give certifications for three categories under crop production modules, with the specifics being as follows.

Who is eligible to apply for organic certification?

A) Individual Certification		A farmer may apply for the organic certification label if they are the legitimate owner of a certain piece of land, regardless of its size.
B) Group Certification		A group of five or more farmers (25% participation of women) from the same revenue district may apply. The land area is not restricted in any way. Nonetheless, fewer than half of the group should be farmers with 10 acres of land.
C) Corporate or Large Area  certification		It mostly refers to the farmers who unite together to form a business entity. They can grow, prepare, and market organic products, but they should maintain an office to keep an eye on farm operations.

Steps involved in PGS-INDIA Organic certification:

Step 1) Awareness ; 

Step 2  Local group (LG) formation:

A farmer group will be established with a minimum of five members, though there is no upper limit. However, a group of 20 to 25 farmers who support simple operation, comprehension, and efficient functioning might be the optimal size. 

Step 3: Selection of Group leader /Lead Resource Person;

• At least five people who live in the same village or nearby villages with continuous territory restrictions on the area.
• Each farmer’s holding should not be larger than one-third of the group’s total land area.
• According to PGS guidelines, their complete farm, including livestock, is managed organically, and parallel production and partial conversion are prohibited.
• The organization must elect a lead resource person or leader who is knowledgeable about the PGS organic guarantee systems or certification system and the National Standards of Organic Production (NPOP). Documentation and registration.

Step 4: Documents collection:

For registration and regional council approval, documents must be gathered in the format specified by the PGS Guidelines. For the lifetime certification/registration process, the document collection is a one-time activity. Following the online approval and activation by RC, all gathered documents will be transferred to the PGS web portal, giving each local group a unique ID. 

Step 5: Selection of Regional Council

Farmers themselves can select the RC approved by NEC-PGS India that local organizations are interested in, familiar with, or nearby. Send in all pertinent documentation, and RC will register and activate you.

Local groups must communicate with RC and receive the necessary training to comprehend the PGS system and its operational requirements before registering.

During the certification process, LG is free to switch to any RC at any moment. Only if the RC is discovered to be non-functional or not carrying out their responsibilities by PGS guidelines, failing to assist LGs with the certification process, and postponing the issuance of certificates. Before partnering with another RC, LG must inform them of the reason they are leaving them.

Step 6: Registration with Regional Council

The Application Form, Organic Pledge, Farm History Sheet, Identity Proof, Identity Card, Bank A/C details (if necessary), and land records/data (Pani/Patta/Naksha/GPS) are the prescribed registration forms that each farmer must provide. The application form, agreement copy, terms of reference for operation, and group endorsement (LG, RC, or the state may endorse) must be submitted to the RC by the group leader on behalf of the group members.

Step 7: Endorsement

Other local groups that are already registered with the PGS, Regional Council, or State Government authorities will provide evidence of the farmers’ legitimacy as village residents and their active participation in agricultural endeavors.
Farmers who are registered or covered under any government program will receive endorsements from the State or District nodal officer.

Step 8: Training

Each farmer registered under the local group is required to complete mandatory training in order to comprehend the organic farming package, organic farming methods, and PGS-India certification criteria, documentation, and procedures. Farmers should occasionally participate in training programs run by the State, Regional Council, or service provider. the government or another organization. Every local organization should ensure that at least 50% of its farmer members consistently participate in training and demonstration programs. Every group member must participate in at least two of these programs each year. 

Step 8: Meeting of the group

• Occasionally, schedule meetings and keep an attendance log.
•  Attending these meetings is a requirement for members and shows their commitment to the group’s guarantee system.
• Mandatory gathering at least two to four times annually: 2 for the group of perennial crops
  For annual crops, four times a year, one or 2 meetings for peer appraisal and one or two meetings for decision-making.
• Each member must sign the attendance register and attend at least 50% of the meetings held during the year.
• To increase the group’s overall capability, give and receive advice from one another.

Step 9: inspection and decision submission

According to the guidelines outlined in PGS Standards, each group, individual, and LAC must conduct a peer inspection of every farmer in a group within 15 days of the crop being sown and one month before crop harvest.
To carry out peer review, among the group members, a peer inspection team will be formed. At least one member of the appraisal team needs to be literate and experienced in filling out the appraisal forms, and there should be at least three peer appraisers or more.

The peer inspection team, which was formed by the group members, will assess the organic farming methods used by farmers using the ten-point standards listed below for each farmer. The local group leader receives the peer appraisal team’s decision, which is then reviewed in a meeting with every LG member. Farmers’ compliance and noncompliance will be compiled and finalized.

The decision on the certificate’s issuance will be sent to RC. Farmers themselves will determine noncompliance or penalties for violating regulations or standards following PGS principles.

The following are the standard peer review criteria that will be used to determine certification:

1. Management of habitats
2. Diversity
3. Livestock Integration
4. Conservation of Water and Soil
5. Control of contamination
6. Planting materials and seeds
7. Fertilization*
8. Pest control*
9. Tool and equipment cleaning
10. Transportation and storage

It is not permitted for two-member group farms to examine each other reciprocally (that is, for example, A reviewing B and B reviewing A). Other interested parties may be invited by LG to join the peer appraisal team. Although their involvement is not required, other stakeholders may include local State Agriculture Department officers, ZCs, RCOFs, or representatives of dealers or consumers. This is being encouraged in order to maintain transparency in the PGS certification system and boost the group guarantee’s reputation and trustworthiness. For future oversight, the local group must keep all peer appraisal forms for each group member on file, either digitally or in printed copy. These must be made publicly available and given to RC or the appropriate authority at any time during physical supervision upon request.

Step 10: Approval Group decision and certificate issue

The peer appraisal form must be filled out and submitted to the Regional Council. LG/RC will then post it online to the PGS-INDIA site. The Regional Council issues certificates to farmers after verifying and creating them.
The conversion duration for PG-SIndia Green Certificates is up to two years for seasonal crops and three years for perennial crops. If farmers consistently receive PGS-India Green certificates and follow all organic farming criteria as specified by PGS, a decision regarding PGS-India Organic certificates will be made. Its full organic status is indicated.

Step 10: Online Updating Actual yield

Following crop harvest, with a 5% margin of error, LG, RC, FA, and SP will update each farmer’s actual yield per area on the PGS INDIA web portal. Farmers cannot use the Jaivikkheti web platform for internet marketing if their real yield is not updated.

Step 11: Online registration in Jaivikkheti webportal of jaivikkheti 
                 and Transactions/online marketing

To conduct online marketing, any farmer who is currently enrolled and active under PGS must also register online using the Jaivikkheti portal. Farmers are allowed to choose the price at which they will sell their goods to customers.
Farmers have the choice of selling their goods on-site or delivering them to customers via cornier.

Time for Obtaining Organic Certification:

Top certification agencies in India under NPOP:

Important website for organic crop registration;

1. PGSI – Home
2. Online Shop – Jaivik Kheti
3. Jaivik Bharat
4. pgsindia-ncof.gov.in

PGS-India Certification Services and Fees;

The National Advisory Committee, National Executive Committee, PGS Secretariat, Zonal and Regional Councils, and Local groups comprise the institutional network facilitating PGS-India certification services. • While the PGS secretariat provides most institutional services for free, RC authorization, RC physical inspection of LGs, RC certification endorsement of LGs, and RC physical inspection and certification of individual farmers, processing units, or large area certification are paid services. Users must pay the required fee by NEC decisions that are periodically revised and/or as agreed upon by RCs, LGs, and other operators.

Read Further;

Organic Crop Production Certification Process in India

How to Make Jeevamrit: A Natural Remedy for Sustainable Farming