Consultants often handle farmers under more than one system: PGS-India for the domestic market, NPOP for export, and sometimes USDA or EU requirements for particular buyers. Each has its own documents. This episode shows how to organise documents across standards, check them, and keep them current.
The short version
- Each standard has a different certifier and a different purpose.
- One folder per farmer, with a sub-folder per standard.
- Track expiry dates: leases, certificates, test reports.
- The US needs USDA certification as well as NPOP; the EU needs an e-COI per consignment.
Which Standard Needs What
PGS-India, NPOP, USDA and EU requirements differ in who certifies and what they cover.
| Standard | Who certifies | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| PGS-India | The farmers' Local Group, endorsed by a Regional Council | The domestic market; runs on pgsindia-ncof.gov.in |
| NPOP | An accredited Certification Body; records on APEDA's Tracenet | Export, and the India Organic logo |
| USDA organic (NOP) | A USDA-accredited certifier, in addition to NPOP | The United States; NPOP recognition ended in January 2021 |
| EU organic | Your NPOP certification body issues the e-COI in TRACES for unprocessed plant products | The European Union; processed foods need an EU-recognised body |
For the full export rules, see exporting to the EU and exporting to the US, UK, Switzerland and Taiwan.
A Central Document System
One folder per farmer, a checklist per standard, and a tracker of what is received and pending.
- One folder per farmer.Sub-folders for each standard the farmer is certified under.
- A checklist per standard.What each needs, based on its rules.
- A coordinator per group.One person responsible for collecting documents.
- A tracker.Received, pending, and expiry date for every document.
Illustrative workload. At about three minutes per farmer to check Aadhaar and land records, 500 farmers take about 25 hours each cycle.
Keeping Documents Current
Track expiry dates and renew documents before inspections, not during them.
- Lease agreements: renew before they end, and send the CB the new copy.
- Certificates: note validity dates for each standard.
- Test reports: keep the latest, with dates.
- PGS-India: registration is not renewed yearly; certification continues through each season's peer appraisal.
Check yourself
Tap an answer to see whether you are right, and why.
Does NPOP certification alone allow organic export to the United States?
- Yes
- No; USDA certification is needed as well
- Only for spices
The recognition ended in January 2021.
Do PGS-India farmers renew their registration every year?
- Yes
- No; certification continues through peer appraisal
- Every 3 years
There is no renewal of registration in PGS-India.
Remember these things
- Know each standard's certifier.
- One folder per farmer.
- Track expiry dates.
- Check export rules per market.
Documents organised by farmer and standard make every inspection easier. KrushiFlow validates these fields and submits farmer records to the portal in bulk.