Certification Procedures

VOCA’s inspection and certification programme is based on standards of National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP). The services offered conform to ISO Guide 65.

The procedure for certification involves the following steps

• Request for Certification

• Submission of filled in application form

• Cost estimation

• Payment of fees

• Signing of inspection contract

• Inspection and submission of inspection report to the VOCA office

• Evaluation of inspection report

• Decision of certification committee is given

• Issue of scope Certificate 

• Issue of transaction certificate

1) Request for certification

Any operator who wishes to enter a certification programme, shall send a request for application form to the following address:

Plot no 54, Ushodaya enclave,

Mythri nagar, Miyapur,

Hyderabad.

email id: voca_org@yahoo.com

2) Submission of filled in application form.

The operator should fill in the application form sent to him. The filled in form should be submitted back either by mail or a hard copy to the above mentioned address. He should submit all the relevant documents asked for in the application form.

3) Cost estimation / Payment of Fees

Once the filled in application form is received at VOCA, a fee estimate shall be sent to the operator. The operator should pay 50% of fees in advance, either in the form of D.D taken in favor of "Vedic organic certification agency”  Hyderabad or a Cheque. The remaining 50% should be paid after the inspection report is ready.

4) Signing of inspection contract

The operator should sign a contract which asks him to follow applicable organic standards. The contract should be signed by him to commit himself to organic production. As per the contract, the operator should provide access to all production sites relevant to inspections record keeping. He should pay for the sampling & reserve analysis.

5) Inspection and submission of inspection report.

As per the inspection plan prepared by our evaluator, VOCA’s inspector shall be assigned to conduct the inspection. He shall notify the operator at least 10 days before his visit. The inspector shall visit all sites relevant in production. He shall take samples for analysis if required. He shall check the documents, processing units, storage places etc. before the end of his visit. The inspector shall summarize his findings with the operator. Any deviations or non conformities with respect to the standards will be discussed with the operator. The inspector shall prepare an inspection report based on his findings & shall submit in the VOCA office.

6) Evaluation of inspection report

The evaluator of VOCA will check the inspection report to conform that all aspects have been covered during the inspection. If any short comings are there, the inspector will be asked to give an explanation & if required the operator will be contacted for additional information

7) Issue of certification decision

The certification committee will receive the evaluated inspection report. A comparsion of the report is made with the requirements. The committee shall decide the final certification and the required certificate shall be issued (Scope and transaction) . The sanctions that are to be given to the operator are also decided by the certification committee. The scope certificate shall be renewed annually.

8) ISSUE OF TRANSACTION CERTIFICATE

The operator who wishes to market his organic produce shall apply to VOCA requesting for a transaction certificate. Transaction certificates are issued for every transaction made by the operator.


9) APPEALS

If the operator is not satisfied with the certification decisions, he may appeal to VOCA in writing within 30 days of the notification of certification decision. The appeal committee shall take the final decision on the case.


10) USE OF INDIA ORGANIC AND VEDIC ORGANIC LOGO

Once the operator receives the certification decision, he shall request to VOCA for the use of India Organic logo and Vedic Organic logo, in a prescribed format. The logo shall be given to the operator as a soft copy.



11) LABEL APPROVAL

The operator shall market his products only after the label approval. Labels that are to be used by the operator shall be sent to VOCA for approval. VOCA shall approve the label as per standards and send the decision to the operator.



GENERAL INFORMATION:

CONVERSION PERIOD:

Any conventional farm that has been using chemical fertilizers and pesticides shall have a conversion period of three years before issuing an organic certificate.

Any farm where organic management is being practiced since more than three years, organic certificate shall be issued at the end of first year of registration. However, a third party declaration needs to be submitted along with the application. The third party shall not have any personal relation with the operator.
 

© Vedic Organic - 2007

Rajkumar, info@ecomspirit.com 9885225882 eComSpirit.com