Certification does not end when the crop leaves the field. Everything after harvest — processing, storage, warehousing, transport and packing — has its own appendix in the PGS-India Standards, and most of it comes down to one idea: organic product must stay physically and demonstrably separate from everything else.
What this appendix covers
- ScopeEverything after harvest until the final retail pack
- ExcludedPrimary processing on the farm — drying, cleaning, grading
- IncludedMilk pasteurising and packing, curd, butter, ghee, paneer, cheese
- AnnuallyHow often the Organic Management Plan must be updated
Who Certifies What
| Situation | How it is certified |
|---|---|
| Processing, handling or storage by a PGS Local Group — on-farm, off-farm or in hired facilities | Under PGS, provided the whole operation is supervised by the Local Group and the materials are the group's own direct produce |
| Several PGS groups pooling processing | Groups may form a federation and register it with the Regional Council, which lays down guidelines for handling products from different groups |
| Individual processing and handling units away from a group | Register with an authorised Regional Council; certification follows mandatory physical inspection and RC approval, similar to third-party certification under NPOP |
The Organic Management Plan
Local groups and individual operators seeking certification under these standards must submit an Organic Management Plan to the Regional Council and update it annually. It must include:
- A description of the practices and procedures to be performed.
- Recipe details and a list of substances and inputs used in production, storage and handling — with their composition, source, where each will be used, and documentation of commercial availability as applicable.
- The management practices and separation measures that prevent commingling of organic and non-organic products during parallel processing and handling.
Keeping Organic and Non-Organic Apart
The specific requirements are short and absolute: contamination sources must be identified and commingling avoided; organic products must be processed and handled separately in time and place from non-organic ones; and every product must be identified through the whole process by appropriate labelling.
The same logic governs storage and transport:
- Organic products must not be stored or transported with non-organic ones unless properly packed, labelled and physically separated with no chance of contamination or commingling.
- No synthetic preservatives, chemicals, fumigants or storage aids may be used.
- Permitted storage methods are controlled atmosphere, cooling, freezing, drying and humidity regulation; fumigation is limited to nitrogen or carbon dioxide, and ethylene is allowed for ripening.
- Where only part of a unit is certified, organic products must be stored and handled separately to keep their identity, and bulk organic stores must be separate from conventional stores and clearly labelled as such.
Pest Control in the Facility
Warehouses, stores, handling areas and processing units have their own pest-management order — and, as in the field, chemical treatment comes last:
in the facility"] --> B["1 · Prevention
hygiene, block access"] B --> C["2 · Mechanical and
biological
traps, UV, temperature"] C --> D["3 · Substances allowed
under NPOP Appendix 5"] D --> E["4 · Other substances
used in traps"]
Where pesticidal substances are used, organic products and ingredients must not come into contact with them — no direct or indirect contact at all, and in case of doubt it must be established that no residues are present in the organic product. Persistent or carcinogenic pesticides and disinfectants are not permitted.
Packaging
Three requirements close the appendix. Biodegradable, recyclable, reusable and eco-friendly packaging should be used wherever possible. The packaging material must not contaminate the food. And packages must be closed so that the contents cannot be substituted without manipulating or damaging the seal — the packaging is part of the traceability system, not just a container.
Which label the finished product may carry is decided by the composition thresholds in the previous episode.