Q.23. Can I use homeopathic treatment to treat my livestock?

Ans. NPOP does not prohibit the use of homeopathic treatment of organic livestock, but the operator must be sure that such treatment does not contain prohibited substances.

Q.24. Can I sell an organic dairy animal as organic slaughter stock?

Ans. Dairy animals that have been under continuous management since the last third gestation may be sold, labeled or represented as organic slaughter stock. Dairy animals that have not been under continuous organic management since the last third gestation may not be labeled or represented as organic slaughter stock

Q.25. Is there any restriction on mentioning "place of origin" information on the label of an agricultural product that is certified organic for example, "Organically grown in Mountains?"

Ans. No. National Standards do not prohibit the mention of truthful information on the labels of certified organic products.

Q.26. Who should approve my label before I go to print?

Ans. Your certification agency shall approve your label in compliance with NPOP requirements.

Q.27. Do I have to include the certifier's address on the information panel of my product's package?

Ans. No. You must write the certifier's name on the information panel. All other information related to your certification agency is optional.

Q.28. When does organic product have to be labeled "For Export Only"?

Ans. A product can be labeled as "For Export Only" when it has been produced in India according to an organic standard other than NPOP for example EU regulations and IFOAM standards etc.

Q.29. Can domestically produced organic product that meets the NSOP and an international organic standard make a claim regarding the international standard?

Ans. Yes, Truthful label claims are allowed.

Q.30. How long is my organic certificate valid for?

Ans. Your organic certificate remains valid for one year only. Annual certification fees shall be paid by the operator for continuing/ renewing the certification process.

Q.31. What happens, if I do not renew my certification?

Ans. Your organic certification continues to be effective until you withdraw from the organic certification program or certification is suspended or revoked by CGCERT. If you do not intend to renew your certification, please contact CGCERT Office and state that you would like to withdraw from the program/operation. There is a withdrawal form that needs to be filled. Notices of noncompliance will be issued to all operators who have not renewed or withdrawn along with an invoice for the annual certification fee. If we do not receive a response to the notice of noncompliance, a notice of proposed suspension will be issued. If there is no response or unsatisfactory response to the notice of proposed suspension, the operator will be suspended from the CGCERT. Please note that withdrawn operator may re-apply for certification as a new applicant at a later date.

Q.32 What is the frequency of inspections by the certification agency?

Ans. Minimum one announced and one unannounced inspection shall be done once in a year. Additional announced or unannounced inspections can be conducted whenever found necessary.

Q.33. Does CGCERT provide consultancy for organic farming?

Ans. CGCERT provides applicants with sufficient information to enable them to comply with the national standards but CGCERT is prohibited from giving advice or providing consultancy services to certification applicants or certified operators for the purpose of overcoming barriers to certification. In other words certification agency explains the regulations but they cannot tell operators how to correct a noncompliance.