(a) whether the Government has prescribed any guidelines for the standardisation, certification
and testing of organic food being sold in the country;
(b)if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps being taken to ensure that organic food products available in the
country are safe and genuine?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE(SHRI DINESH TRIVEDI)
(a) to (c) As per the information made available by the National Centre of Organic Farming
under the Ministry of Agriculture (Department of Agriculture & Cooperation), an organic food
production and process certification system known as National Programme on Organic Production
has been notified under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation), 1992 by the Ministry of
Commerce.This programme has been effective since the year 2000 and 18 certification agencies
are authorised for granting certification thereunder. For domestic market the said programme
has recently been notified as the Organic Agricultural Produce Grading and Marketing Rules,
2009 under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marketing) Act, 1937. Government has been
authorising independent agencies for inspection and certification of organic food production
and organic food processing under the said two provisions.