58 Handbook of herbs and spices
The transition time to convert from conventional to organic production generally
requires a minimum of three years and is set by the certification agency. Weed
management is often a challenge, especially during transition, but may be less so in
horticultural or herb crops that are grown in rows. Most importantly, record keeping
is vital for organic certification of crops.
The main principles for organic production at farm level and the rules that must be
followed for the processing, sale and import of organic products were established by
the passing of Council Regulation EEC 2092/91 and its supplement EC 1804/99.
This regulation is very complicated and difficult, which makes it necessary for an
exporter to the EU to consult experts on this matter. Use of the term ‘organic’ is now
limited in the European Union to products derived according to the principles of
production and the rules of processing defined in the regulation. IFOAM (International
Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) was a major contributor to the organic
standards of the EU adopted in Regulation 2092/91. Agricultural units, the processors
as well as their products, must be certified by the EU recognised control bodies to
confirm that they meet the required EU or specific national standards, before their
products can be offered for sale in EU markets. Important inspection agencies are
SKAL, Ecocert, Soil Association, etc.
It should be noted that a number of these organisations have their own inspectors
in some developing countries. Under EU regulation, the marketing of organic produce
from third-world countries is permitted only where the Commission is satisfied that
the imported goods have been produced according to rules equivalent to those of the
European Union and where the producer has obtained a certificate of inspection from
a competent EU recognised authority. Exporters from non-EU member states can
indicate their interest in obtaining certification for organic production by contacting
either an international inspection organisation, or a national organisation from an EU
member state, designated as a competent authority under Regulation No 2092/91.
The EKO quality label is the label in The Netherlands that guarantees the organic
origin and quality of agricultural products and food products. The organisation SKAL
is the holder of the officially registered EKO quality symbol. Internationally, SKAL
is a member of IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements).
It provides services in the field of inspection and certification, both nationally and
internationally, acting as an independent third party. Other important EU inspection
organisations operating internationally include BCS and Naturland (Germany), Ecocert
(Germany, France, Belgium, and Italy) the Soil Association (United Kingdom) and
KRAV (Sweden).
2.6 Acknowledgements
The author sincerely thanks Mr. M.S.A. Kumar, Managing Director- AVT McCormick
Ingredients & AVT Natural Products, as well as Ms. Sushama Srikandath, Director
and Chief Operating Officer- AVT McCormick Ingredients, for their support,
encouragement and valuable inputs.
2.7 References
GIESE, J. Spices and seasoning blends, A taste for all seasons. Food technology. 48(4): 87–98. 1994.
LOIS LEVITAN. An overview of pesticide impact assessment systems based on Indexing or Ranking