Can I process both organic and conventional foods?
Yes, many processors who have undertaken to have their premises certified organic have continued to produce both conventional and organic lines. Processing organic product imposes some restrictions. Using an abattoir as an example, organic processing can generally only be carried out as the first production run after a thorough clean down. This would generally be in the morning, the Monday after a clean down which usually occurs at the end of the working week on a Friday.
Processors need to ensure that products are segregated to ensure that there is no risk of cross contamination through contact with conventional products. In the cropping/orchard situation, part of a property can be converted. Where livestock are involved it is more difficult because they usually cover the whole farm. Where an enterprise processes both organic and conventional product the facility must be cleaned to organic standards. This often means that lines are stored until enough organic product is available to justify the expense of the clean down. If you are in doubt, talk to your certifying body to clarify the situation.
What pesticides can I use in organic production?
1 .No chemical weedkillers are allowed in organic production.
2. A very small number of basic fungicides are allowed – you need to obtain special permission (derogation) to use them.
3. A very small number of simple insecticides are allowed– you need to obtain special permission (derogation) to use them.
Can I use fertilizers in organic production?
Artificial fertilizers are not allowed in organic production. Soil fertility for growing crops and grass is based on:
•Planned cropping rotations
•Clover in grazing and cutting swards or green manures
•Managed use of manures, composts, and slurries
•Approved supplementary fertilizing materials
•Imported organic manures such as organic poultry manure – limited use
Organic means no sprays, no fertilizers, you just let crops grow – right?
Wrong - Organic production requires you to develop an integrated production system including:
•Planned cropping rotations
•Clover as a means of getting nitrogen into the soil
•Managed use of manures, composts, and slurries
•Carefully selected crop and grass varieties
•Mechanical weed control techniques
Who controls organic certification?
EC Council Regulation 2092/91 controls and regulates organic production in the EU. It will be replaced by an updated Regulation 834/2007 on 1 January 2009.
In the UK, Defra publishes the “Compendium of UK Organic Standards” as the UK’s base line for organic certification, on behalf of the four UK rural affairs departments.
Who carries out organic certification?
A number of Defra-approved independent organic certification bodies carry out organic certification on farms and processing units.
When am I able to sell my first organic produce?
During the first year of conversion produce may not be sold as organic – it must be sold onto the non-organic (conventional) market.If appropriate, produce during the second year of conversion may be sold as “organic – in-conversion” produce, if there is a market for it.
Once land has completed its conversion to full organic status, crops sown or transplanted into fully organic land may be sold as organic.
Livestock to be sold as organic will be available some time after the land has achieved fully organic status. The time period will depend on the type of stock and other factors.
Organic Certification Agencies
IMO Control Pvt. Ltd.
Mr. Umesh Chandrasekhar, Director
No. 1314, Double Road, Indiranagar 2nd Stage
Bangalore-560 038.(Karnataka)
Phone No.: 080-25285883, 25201546
Fax: 080-25272185 Email: imoind@vsnl.com
Indian Organic Certification Agency
(INDOCERT) Mr. Mathew Sebastian
Executive Director Thottumugham P.O.
Aluva-683 105 Cochin, (Kerala)
Telefax:0484-2630908-09/2620943
Email:Mathew.Sebastian@indocert.org
Natural Organic Certification Agency
Mr. Sanjay Deshmukh, CEO
Chhatrapati House Ground Floor
Near P. N. Gadgil Showroom
Pune-411 038 (Maharashtra)
Phone No.: 020-25457869, 56218063
Fax: 020-2539-0096
Email: contact@nocaindia.com
OneCert Asia Agri Certification
Pvt. Ltd. Mr. Sandeep Bhargava
Chief Executive Officer
Agrasen Farm, Vatika Road,
Vatika P.O., Off Tonk,
Jaipur-303 905, (Rajasthan)
Phone No. : - 0141-2770342
Telefax No: - 0141-2771101
Email: info@onecertasia.in
Bureau Veritas Certification India Pvt.
Ltd. (Formerly known as BVQI (India)
Pvt. Ltd.) Mr. R. K. Sharma Director
Marwah Centre, 6th Floor Opp. Ansa
Industrial Estate
Krishanlal Marwah Marg Off Saki-Vihar
Road
Andheri (East) Mumbai-400 072
(Maharashtra) Phone No.: 022-
56956300, 56956311
Fax No. 022-56956302 / 10
Email: scsinfo@in.bureauveritas.com
ECOCERT India Pvt. Ltd
Dr. Selvam Daniel(C.R.)
Sector-3, S-6/3 & 4, Gut No. 102
Hindustan Awas Ltd. Walmi-Waluj Road
Nakshatrawadi Aurangabad – 431 002
(Maharashtra)
Phone No.: 0240-2377120, 2376949
Fax No.: 0240-2376866
Email: ecocert@sancharnet.in
Food Cert India Pvt. Ltd
Quality House, H. No. 8- 2- 601/P/6,
Road No. 10, Banjara Hills,
Panchavati Colony,
Hyderabad – 500 034
Tel. No.: +91- 40-23301618, 23301554, 23301582
Fax: +91-40-23301583
Email: foodcert@foodcert.in
Chhattisgarh Certification Society,
India (CGCERT), Raipur
A-25, VIP Estate, Khamhardih,
Shankar Nagar, Raipur-492007,
Chhattisgarh (India)
Telefax: +91-771-2283249
Email: cgcert@gmail.com
1424 A,
Tamil Nadu Organic Certification Department (TNOCD)
Coimbatore
Thadagam Road, Coimbatore-641013,
Tamil Nadu (India)
Tel.: +91-422-2405080, Fax: +91-422-
2457554.
Email: tnocd@yahoo.co.in
Rajasthan Organic Certification
Agency (ROCA)
3rd Floor, Pant Krishi Bhawan, Janpath,
Jaipur 302 005
(Rajasthan)
Phone No: 0141-2227104,
Tele Fax: 0141-2227456
Email: dir_rssopca@rediffmail.com