Revised NPOP Standards 2014

National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP)

First Edition: May 2001

Second Edition: January 2002

Third Edition- Consolidated Version: November 2002

Fourth Edition: June 2003

Fifth Edition: June 2004

Sixth Edition: May 2005

Seventh Edition: November 2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER -1	Page No.
INTRODUCTION	1-11
CHAPTER -2
SCOPE AND OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE OF NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAMME
2.1 Scope	12
2.2 Operational Structure	13
2.3 Organizational set up	14-18
CHAPTER -3	19
NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR ORGANIC PRODUCTION (NSOP)
APPENDIX 1 ORGANIC CROP PRODUCTION	20
1. Crop production plan	20
2. Conversion requirements	21
3. Duration of Conversion Period	21- 22
4. Landscape	22-23
5. Choice of Crops and Varieties	23
6. Diversity in crop production and management plan	23-24
8. Pest, Disease and Weed Management	25-26
9. Contamination Control	26-27
10. Soil and Water conservation	27
11. Collection of non cultivated material of plant origin/forest produces	27-28
Annex 1 Products for use in fertilizing and soil conditioning	29-31
Annex 2 Products for plant pest and disease control	32-34
Annex 3 Procedure to evaluate additional inputs to organic agriculture	35-39
APPENDIX 2 ORGANIC LIVESTOCK, POULTRY & PRODUCTS	40
1. Scope	40
2. General Principles	40
3. Organic Management Plan	41
4.Choice of breeds, Source and Origin	41-42
5. Livestock Identification and Animal Record Keeping	42
6. Housing Management	43-46
6.1 Special Conditions for mammals	44
6.2 Special Conditions for Poultry	45
6.3 Special Conditions for Silkworms	46
6.4 Special Conditions for Rabbits	46
7. Conversion Period for Animal Production	47
a. Bovine including Buffalo	47
b. Ovine and caprine (sheep & goat)	48
c. Pig	48
d. Small mammals (such as Rabbits)	48
e. Poultry	48
8. Feed	48-51
8.1 General criteria for feed stuff and nutritional criteria	49
8.2 Specific criteria for feedstuff and nutritional elements	50
8.3 Specific criteria for additives and processing aids	50
9. Health care	51-53
10. Breeding and Management	53
11. Manure and urine excreta management	54
12. Transport	55
13. Slaughter of the animals	56-57
Annex 1 Minimum surface area indoors & outdoors and other characteristics of housing in different species and types of production	58
Annex 2 Permitted list of feed materials, feed additives & processing aids for animal nutrition	59-68
Annex 3 Enzymes and their sources permitted for use in Animal/Poultry	69-70
Annex 4 List of diseases for herd/flock diagnosis	71
Annex 5 Antibiotic/antibacterial withdrawal period	72-73
Annex 6 Products authorized for cleaning and disinfection of livestock buildings and installations	74
APPENDIX 3 ORGANIC BEE KEEPING/APICULTURE	76
1. Choice of breed/strains	76
2. Conversion period	76
3. Hiving the Honey Bees	76-77
4. Apiary Management	77-78
5. Feed	78
6. Health care	78
7. Breeding and management	78-79
8. Periodic cleaning	79
9. Record keeping	79
10. Transport /migration	79-81
11. Production extraction	81-82
12. Extraction of honey	82
13. Extraction of beeswax	83
14. Crop pollination	83
15. Conservation of bee Flora	83
Annex 1 List of notifiable honey bee diseases	84
Annex 2 Approved products in beekeeping for Disinfestations/cleaning/disease-pest control	85
APPENDIX 4 ORGANIC AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION	86
1. Organic management plan	86
2. Conversion period	86-87
3. Ecosystem management	87-88
4. Selection of site	88
5. Choice of breeds and strains	89
6. Source of seed and breeding	89-91
7. Culture practices	91
8. Pond preparation	91
9. Stocking	91-92
10. Pond management	92-93
11. Bivalve farming	93
12. Supplementary feeding	94-95
13. Health management	95
14. Harvest and transportation	95
15. Processing	96
16. Mandatory visit for the accredited Certification Bodies	96
Annex 1Classification of water bodies for bivalve farming	97
Annex 2 Approved list of Aquaculture inputs	98-99
Annex 3 Prohibited list of Aquaculture inputs	100
Annex 4 List of prohibited antibiotics and pharmalogically active substances for aquaculture	101
Annex-5 List of permitted and prohibited substances for use in aquaculture processing	102
APPENDIX 5 ORGANIC FOOD PROCESSING AND HANDLING	103
1. Specific requirements	103
2. Pest and disease control	104
3. Ingredients	104-105
4. Processing Methods	105-106
5. Packaging	106
6. Labeling	106
6.1 Labelling requirements	106
6.2 Processed products	107-108
7. Storage & Transport	108
Annex 1 (a) Food Additives Including Carriers for Use in Production of Processed Organic Food	109-110
Annex 1 (b) Processing Aids and other products for use for processing of ingredients of Agricultural Origin from organic production	111-112
Annex 2 Approved Products for Packaging of Organic Food Stuffs	113
CHAPTER -4
ACCREDITATION OF CERTIFICATION BODIES
4. ACCREDITATION CRITERIA	114
4.1 Categories for accreditation	114
4.2 General criteria and principles	115
4.2.1 Legal entity/organization structure	115-116
4.2.2 Management	117
4.2.3 Quality System	117-118
4.2.4 Competence	118-119
4.2.5 Independence	119
4.2.6 Accountability and responsibility	119
4.2.7 Objectivity	119-120
4.2.8 Credibility	120
4.2.9 Internal Audits and management review	120
4.2.10 Public information	120-121
4.2.11 Documentation and document control	121-122
4.2.12 Confidentiality	122
4.2.13 Participation	123
4.2.14 Non-discrimination	123
4.2.15 Personnel	123
4.2.16 Sub-contracting	123-124
4.2.17 Conflict of interest	124
4.2.18 Other functions	124-125
4.2.19 Annual reports	125
4.3 Inspection and Certification
4.3.1 Inspection and certification procedures	125
4.3.1.1 Inspection	126-128
4.3.1.2 Inspection methods and frequency	128-129
4.3.1.3 Risk Assessment	129
4.3.1.4 Analysis and residue testing	129-130
4.3.1.5 Inspection of parallel production of farms	130-131
4.3.1.6 Inspection of processing units	131-132
4.3.1.7 Inspection of grower groups	132-133
4.3.1.8 Inspection of wild product collection	133
4.3.1.9 Inspection of all stages in handling	133
4.3.1.10 Inspection of packed products	134
4.3.1.11 Inspection of storage facilities	134
4.3.1.12Inspectionof of transport facilities	134
4.3.1.13 Inspection of chain of custody	134
4.3.1.14 Inspection for detection of use of Genetically engineered products	134-135
4.4 Certification	135
4.4.1 Certification procedure	135- 136
4.4.2 Re-certification	136
4.4.3 Certification decisions	136
4.4.4 Disciplinary measures and sanctions	136-137
4.4.5 Withdrawal of certification	137
4.4.6 Certification records and reports	137
4.4.6.1 Contract with operator	137
4.4.6.2 Operator files	137-138
4.4.6.3 Records	138- 139
4.4.6.4 Marks and certificates	139
4.4.6.5 Scope Certificate	139
4.4.6.6 Transaction certificate	139-140
4.4.7 Certified operators	140
4.4.7.1 Information to the operators	140
4.4.7.2 Records and documentation maintained by the certified operator	141
4.4.7.3 Complaints record	141
4.4.7.4 Appeal record	141
4.4.8 Input approval off farm inputs	141
4.4.9 Approval of commercial inputs	141-142
4.4.10 Shifting of operators	142
4.4.11 Exchange of information	142
4.5 ACCREDITATION PROCEDURE	143
4.5.1 Application for Accreditation	143
4.5.2 Documentation Review	144
4.5.3 Evaluation	144-145
4.5.4 Conformity report	145-146
4.5.5 Review of evaluation report	146
4.5.6 Review of assessment report and decision by the NAB	146-147
4.5.7 Grant of accreditation	147
4.5.8 Accreditation contract	147
4.5.9 Certificate of accreditation	147
4.5.10 Tracenet	148
4.5.11 Annual Surveillance and review evaluation of accredited certification bodies	148
4.5.12 Renewal of accreditation	148- 149
4.5.13 Complaints	149
4.5.14 Sanctions	149
4.5.15 Categories of offences	150
4.5.16 Categories of sanctions	150
4.5.17 Procedure to be followed for imposing sanctions	150- 151
4.4.18 Penalties not to interfere with other punishment	151
4.4.19 Appeal	151-152
4.4.20 Reciprocity	152
4.4.20.1 National	152
4.4.20.2 International	152
Annex-1 Conditions for imposing sanctions	153-155
Annex-2 Guidelines for equivalency recognition and Conformity Assessment Recognition with trading partner countries
CHAPTER -5
GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFICATION OF GROWER GROUPS
5.1 Scope	156
5.2 Constitution of the ICS	157
5.3 Internal control system (ICS)	157-158
5.4 How to develop an ICS	158
5.4.1 Internal Control System Manager (ICS Manager)	158-159
5.4.2 Internal inspectors	159
5.4.3 Approval manager/committee	159
5.4.4 Field officers	159
5.4.5 Purchase officer	159
5.4.6 Warehouse manager	159
5.4.7 Processing manager	160
5.5 Internal Standards	160
5.6 Conflict of interest	160
5.7 Scope of certification	161
5.8 Trade	161
5.9 Procedures for implementation of Internal Control System	161
5.9.1 Registration of members	161
5.9.2 Provision of documents to the members of the grower group	161
5.9.3 Provision of exit of members from grower groups	162
5.10 Operating Document	162-163
5.10.4.1 Critical control points for risk assessment	163
5.11 Internal Inspection	163-164
5.12 Internal Approvals	164
5.13 External inspections by accredited Certification Bodies	164
5.13.1 Sampling plan	164-165
5.13.2 Risk assessment	165
5.13.3 Sampling pattern for verifying the ICS by the accredited Certification Body	165-166
5.14 Yield estimates	166
5.15 Non-compliances and sanctions	166
5.16 Training of ICS Personnel	166
5.17 Training of farmers	166-167
5.18 Buying procedures	167
5.19 Storage and handling procedures	167
5.20 Processing	168
Annex 1 ICS Application form (for use by the farmer)	169
Annex 2 Farmers Contract with ICS	170-171
Annex 3 Farm Diary (for ICS)	172-174
Annex 4 Format for Sanctions by ICS	175
Annex 5 Internal Inspection Checklist	176-178
Annex 6 Format for developing ICS internal standards in local languages	179-180
Annex 7 Application format for exit of farmer from ICS	181
Annex 8 Exit approval format for a member farmer from a grower group	182
CHAPTER -6
ORGANIC CERTIFICATION MARK
6.1 Organic Logo	183
6.2 Specifications	183
6.3 Concept of Organic Logo	183-184
6.4 Regulations governing use of the certification	184
Trade mark ‘ India Organic Logo’
6.4.1 Short Title and commencement	184
6.4.2 Definitions	184-185
6.4.3 Proprietorship of the India Organic Logo: Authorized users	185-187
6.5 Manner of applying for licence	187-188
6.6 Grant of licence	188-190
6.7 Conditions of a licence	190-194
6.8 Fees	195
6.9 Undertaking	195
6.10 Surveillance and regular review	195
6.11 Use of certification Trade Mark	195
6.12 Publicity	195-196
6.13 Obligations of the applicant	196-197
6.14 Surrender of Licence	197
6.15 Powers of the accredited Certification Body	197-199
6.16 Misuse of licence	199
6.17Appeals	199
Form 1 Application for grant of licence to use the certification mark	200-203
Form 2 License for the use of India Organic Logo Certification mark	204-205
Form 13 Declaration	206
APPENDIX 6 ORGANIC ANIMAL FEED PROCESSING AND HANDLING	207
1. General Requirements	207
2. Cleaning, Disinfection and Pest Control	208
3. Ingredients	209
4. Processing	210
5. Processing Facilities	211
6. Processed Products	211
7. Packaging	212
8. Labelling	212
9. Storage and Transport	213
Appendix 7 ORGANIC MUSHROOM PRODUCTION	215
1. General	215
2. Organic Management Plan	215
3. Management of Production Site	215
4. Substrate and Growing Media	215
5. Fungus Spawn	216
6. Conversion	216
7. Pest Control and Sanitation	216
Appendix 8 ORGANIC SEAWEED, AQUATIC PLANTS AND GREEN HOUSE CROP PRODUCTION	217
1. General	217
2. Organic Management Plan	217
3. Specific Requirements for Seaweeds	217
3.1 Collection from wild	217
3.2 Cultivation in sea and inland tanks	218
4. Aquatic Plants Including Algae	219
5. Green House Crop production	220-221