What are Organic Foods?
Organic food has become a familiar name these days as these food products are gaining in popularity. With growing concerns about food safety and nutrition, the demand for organic food is increasing. This is because organic food is grown Organically grown naturally with manure or compost and without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. All organic products are protected from prohibited substances and methods, right from the field to the point of final sale, whether it is a raw agricultural commodity or a multi-ingredient, processed product.
Which legislation governs Organic Food in India?
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 govern the regulation of packaging, storage, distribution, sale and import etc. of Organic Food.
FSSAI has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations, 2017 on 29 December 2017 recognizing two already established systems of certification:
- National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP).
- Participatory Guarantee System (PGS-India).
Who has to be certified under this legislation?
Organic Food Business Operators who are involved in the processing, distribution, transport, storage, retail and imports of all organic products need to be certified.
Who is exempted from the need of verification of compliance?
Small original producers of the organic foods or producer organisations who make direct sales to the end consumer are exempted from the need of verification of compliance.
Who is in charge of certifying organic products?
The Accredited Certification Bodies in case of NPOP and Regional Councils in case of PGS-India certify Organic Food Products.
What are the residual limits of Insecticides in Organic Foods?
The organic foods are required to comply with Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011 except for residues of insecticides for which the maximum limits shall be 5% of the maximum limits prescribed in these Regulations or Level of Quantification (LoQ) whichever is higher.
Do imported organic products need to be certified?
Under bilateral or multilateral agreements based on the equivalence of standards as per National Programme for Organic Production, organic products are not required to be recertified on import to India. All organic food consignments are to be accompanied by a Transaction Certificate issued by an Accredited Certification Body.
When will these regulations come into force?
The Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations, 2017 will come into force from 1st July 2018.
About Organic Food Sector in India
According to “India Organic Food Market by Product Type, Competition Forecast & Opportunities, 2013-2023”, India organic food market is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 23% by 2023. Organic food has seen growth because of favourable government policies that support organic farming and this is coupled with an increase in the land area which is under organic cultivation. There is also a surge in consumer preference for organic foods because of the online availability of organic food and also because of an increased concern about health issues. Another factor that is likely to fuel organic food consumption in India by 2022 is because of expansion in markets and distribution channels in this sector. However, the organic food sector in India is still a niche category and so the demand has yet to cover the entire nation.
Demand is expected to rise in the coming years because of the perfection that conventional foods are contaminated. Consumers in India are likely to therefore, likely to turn completely organic in their food habits. Presently in India organic beverages like, tea have the highest value share followed by pulses and dairy products. However, the availability of organic fruits and vegetable is still a concern and there is a need for a stronger supply chain.
Source: FSSAI
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