Conversion is the period in which a farm meets the organic standard without yet being able to sell its produce as organic. It is the single largest cost of entering the export market — and NPOP contains a route that can shorten it to nothing for land that is already PGS-certified.
The periods, and the clock
- 2 yearsAnnual and biennial crops — organic management before sowing
- 3 yearsPerennials other than grassland — before the first harvest is certifiable
- First inspectionThe conversion period may be calculated from the date the certification body first inspects you
- Up to fullPrevious period that a derogation can recognise, on three years of documentary proof
How Long, and From When
For annual and biennial crops, plant products can be certified organic once the standards have been met through a conversion period of at least two years before sowing — that is, before the start of the production cycle. For perennial plants other than grassland, excluding pastures and meadows, the first harvest may be certified organic after at least three years of organic management.
The clock may be calculated from the date of your first inspection by the certification body, which is why the application date matters commercially. Certification bodies can also extend or reduce the period in particular cases, depending on the past status and use of the land and on environmental conditions.
Conversion is not a waiting room: every requirement of the standard applies from the commencement of the conversion period, and the farm converts under a clear written plan, updated as needed.
The Derogation: When the Past Counts
NPOP allows a previous period to be counted as up to the full conversion period, as an exception, where documentary proof shows the requirements were met for a continuous period of at least three years. There are two qualifying categories.
| Route | What you must produce |
|---|---|
| Land certified under PGS — continuous PGS certification for three years immediately preceding the period claimed, with no sanctions imposed for non-compliances affecting organic integrity | A valid PGS certificate, plus verification of that certificate from NCOF as to the status of the PGS group and any sanctions imposed |
| Land in the hilly regions of the Himalayan States/UTs — Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the North Eastern Region | A copy of the State/UT government notification declaring the area natural and untreated with substances not permitted under NPOP for a minimum continuous three years, plus a map with geo-coordinates of the land |
This is the bridge between the two systems. A Local Group that has held PGS certification for three clean years is not starting its export journey from zero — the previous period can be recognised, up to the full conversion period. Sanctions are what break it: a group that has been penalised for an integrity non-compliance in those three years does not qualify.
What the Certification Body Does With Your Claim
A derogation is not granted on paperwork alone. The certification body must:
- Conduct physical verification of the geo-location of the land claimed.
- Verify the operator's records for the cultivation practices followed.
- Conduct a detailed risk analysis of the use of unauthorised substances over the previous three years, taking soil and plant samples for residue analysis from the fields of each member of the group.
- Prepare a detailed report with justification and submit it to APEDA for processing.
The final decision is made by a NAB sub-committee constituted for the purpose — not by your certification body. Budget time for that, and keep three years of records that can survive a risk analysis.
Selling While You Convert
Products in conversion shall not be sold as organic. Two things may be sold as produce of organic agriculture in-conversion:
- Plant reproductive material, where the standards have been met for at least twelve months.
- Food and feed products of plant origin with a single agricultural crop ingredient, where a conversion period of at least twelve months before harvest has been complied with.
In-conversion products may not be labelled organic, and the India Organic logo may not be used on them. A multi-ingredient product does not qualify at all — the allowance is for single-ingredient plant products only.
For how the same question is handled on the domestic side, see PGS-India conversion periods — the two systems set different periods, and a group moving between them needs both in view. Next: grower groups and the Internal Control System. KrushiFlow validates these fields and submits farmer records to the portal in bulk.