Everything About the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) - 24 Mantra Organic

India has started to play a crucial role in the growth and acceptance of organic products, domestically and worldwide. According to Dr Tarun Bajaj, the Director at APEDA, India, occupies a 2.1% market share of the global organic products export. At the same time, she also contributes to 1.7% of the total organic product imports on a global scale. How did we reach this position? While there are several factors at play, the National Programme for Organic Production (or NPOP) is one of the contributors.

Let’s take a look at the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) and what it means to the world and country at large:

National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP): A Brief Overview

The Ministry of Industries and Commerce launched the National Programme for Organic Production or NPOP in 2001.

The Department of Commerce, under the ambit of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, works as the apex body for the implementation, coordination, and management of the NPOP. The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) acts as the secretariat and serves the National Accreditation Body (NAB) and National Steering Committee (NSC). It works in collaboration with Certification Bodies to define the standards of organic farming, production, and marketing.

In addition to being the largest organic certification programme in the world, it also offers an institutional framework for the implementation of the National Standards for Organic Production (NSOP).

The National Programme for Organic Production adheres to the International Standards for the import and export of organic products. Hence, in 2006, the European Commission and Switzerland awarded recognition to NPOP certification. Similarly, through an agreement with the US, NPOP certified organic products did not have to be recertified upon export.

National Programme for Organic Production: Scope and Primary Objectives

The primary objectives of the National Programme for Organic Production, amongst other things, are as follows:

• To promote and encourage the growth and development of organic farming and processing.
• To prescribe standards for evaluating for the certification programme of organic agriculture and resultant products (including aquaculture, livestock and livestock produce, wild harvest, etc.)
• To facilitate the certification of organic products that meet the standards prescribed by the NSOP.
• To accredit certification programmes for Certification Bodies that seek accreditation under the National Programme for Organic Production.
• To necessitate the certification of organic imports by evaluating them against the organic standards.

The scope for NPOP extends to the following:

• Development of national standards for organic produce, products, and processes.
• Accreditation of Certification Bodies and designing certification programmes.
• Certification of organic products.
• Development of policies for the certification of organic products in accordance with the notifications of the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the Government of India from time to time.

Certification Process Under the National Programme for Organic Production

Before briefly touching upon the certification process, let’s take a look at the category of items that can earn organic certification under the National Programme for Organic Production. These include:

• Wild harvest and crop production
• Sericulture
• Livestock
• Apiculture
• Aquaculture
• Organic Mushroom
• Organic Food Processing and Handling
• Green House Crop Production
• Organic Animal Feed Processing and Handling
• Seaweed and Aquatic Plants

The process for obtaining organic certification is as follows:

1. The individual or organisation applies to the certification agency by conveying the information in the prescribed format.
2. The certification agency screens the application, and if required, demands additional information/clarification.
3. The certification agency issues a cost estimate containing the inspection charge, certification charge, laboratory costs, reporting costs, travel costs, etc. for acceptance by the grower or producer.
4. Once accepted, the organisation and the certification body sign an agreement.
5. The certification agency shares the standards for organic production/processing with the producer/grower while also seeking the plans for cultivation/cropping/production/processing.
6. The organisation/individual pays an initial fee, following which an inspection is carried out.
7. Thereafter, multiple inspections are carried out sporadically.
8. The grower/producers are instructed to maintain a day-to-day farming and marketing record, which maintains a record of all the activities taking place on the farm.
9. If in doubt, during any of these unannounced visits, the inspection team can collect plant/produce/soil samples and send it for laboratory analysis.
10. Such inspection reports are submitted to a certification committee that studies the report and reaches a decision.
11. The certification agency raises an invoice for the final payment, and upon the receipt of the same, the certification is granted to the grower/producer.
12. After receiving the certification, the individual/organisation applies for the licensed use of the India Organic Logo on their products.
13. On receiving the license of the India Organic Logo, the grower/producer can release the stock bearing the certification logo.

As one can see from above the National Programme for Organic Production prescribes the strictest norms for ensuring that the products marketed as organic are indeed organic. Hence, you can enjoy healthy and nutritious organic products with trust!

Try 24 Mantra Organic’s range of products and savour the taste of organic goodness.