For more than 30 years, Lacon Quality Certification has been serving clients using competent food and agricultural specialists as qualified auditors. A subsidiary of Germany-based Lacon GmbH, Lacon certifies companies operating globally as well as small producers and farmers. In an EXCLUSIVE interview with The Organic Magazine, Bobby Isaac, Director, Lacon Quality Certification, elucidates on the increasing awareness of organic certification in India and why he feels that each state government must have state policies on organic farming.
What was the vision behind Lacon?
Lacon Quality Certification, a subsidiary of Lacon GmbH, Germany, having operations in Germany, Austria, Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa, offers a wide variety of certifications in the fields of farming and food processing. The entire food-chain, from farm to the final product reaching the consumer, is brought under control and made traceable, which creates trust among the consumers. Lacon GmbH was founded in 1989 based at Offenburg, Germany
We help certified companies to demonstrate and document their competence thereby enabling them to sustain their position and strengthen their customers’ confidence in a market geared towards product safe.
Lacon is not controlled by external interests and is therefore impartial and independent. Lacon has national and international accreditation from NAB (APEDA), DAKKS, BMWFJ, USDA, EU etc, which confirms our competence. Consequently, Lacon can offer services equally to all applicants independent of commercial influences. Based on a reasonable fee structure and using qualified personnel, we achieve a high level of control and certification without jeopardising the economic feasibility of the products being certified.
What is the level of awareness about organic certification in India? What role can the government play in changing this scenario?
The awareness on Organic certification in India is better now. During the last 15 years, our country has launched many schemes that involve promotion of organic farming and its certification. The Spices Board has done commendable work on promoting organic farming, even before the launch of Indian organic standards, based on the feedback and requirement from the international market for organic spices.
The Ministry of Agriculture had launched several schemes across India for service providers who are able to educate and support farmers on organic farming rules and the requirements of documentation to be maintained at the farm level for Organic certification. This has created lots of awareness, even though they had to spend huge amounts for such schemes. Horticultural Mission, in each state also implemented several schemes on organic farming followed by various commodity boards promoting it.
The Government has to start a dedicated organic cell under each district as it’s difficult for the same officer to handle both organic promotion as well as conventional farming together. Unless the officer is convinced about the organic farming, he may not be able to convince farmers, so that the organic farming can be promoted. Government should create an environment for the farmers to go for organic farming and the farmers should do it out of their will and interest.
Each state government must have state policies on organic farming and a package of practices on organic farming must be developed by the State Agricultural Universities.
How difficult is it to get organic certification in India? What role has Lacon played in the country for increasing awareness about the importance of certification?
For an organic farmer, it’s very easy to take certification now. There are 2 standards in India that are approved by the food regulator – FSSAI. NPOP standards- which is developed by the Ministry of Commerce and is internationally accepted and PGS standards developed by the Ministry of Agriculture which is legally accepted within India.
The cost for the certification per farmer per year may vary from Rs 150- 200, if they are a part of the group certification. FSSAI has legalised the word organic from 2018 onwards and hence the organic products need to be certified for marketing in India, by an accredited Certification body, approved by the National Accreditation Board, having its secretariat at APEDA or by the NCOF, Ministry of Agriculture for PGS.
As a CB, our role is limited to verifying the compliance to the respective Organic regulations. Hence CBs cannot involve in any other advisory services as it may lead to conflict of interest. However we’ve been offered various platforms by the state and central government agencies to educate and train farmers and other stakeholders in the organic sector on the procedure for organic certification and rules for the same.
Your insights on the threat of frauds in organic certification.
With the increase in demand for organic food products, the organic industry is facing lots of challenges to manage the unscrupulous people who are entering into the organic food business. Many of them started forging the certificate and trading conventional products sourced from the open market as Organic. However the online database developed by the government is a robust system that can trace the products from the farm level to final retail packs with additional protection of Barcodes and QR codes. Even the movement of products among the stakeholders are controlled and monitored by traceability documents to avoid fraud.
What certifications does Lacon offer organic producers/companies? What are the benefits?
LACON offers the Certification services according to;
Organic Certification according to;
- Organic regulation (EEC) No. 834/2007
- National Organic Program (NOP) USDA
- National Programme on Organic Production (NPOP), India
- Participatory Guarantee System for India (PGS)
Other Certifications according to;
- GLOBALG.A.P
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- International Featured Standards (IFS)
- PGI (Protected Geographical Indications (EEC) No. 605/2006
- Beef Labeling regulation (EEC) No. 1760/2000
- Organic Cosmetic Standards
- GMO Free
- REDcert, UTZ, Sustainable Biomass, RSPO, KAT, ZNU, Vegan· Naturland, Demeter, Bio-Suisse, Soil Association, Ecoland etc.
Have you seen any sudden increase in certifications in light of the Covid-19 pandemic?
Even though we have received several new enquiries for certification, we could not take up many of them, due to travel restrictions during the Covid-19 time. Since the onsite inspections are an integral part of the organic certification, it is not easy to travel across India to inspect and certify new projects.
There is an increase in demand for food products with assured quality during the Covid-19, to strengthen the immunity system of the body. Hence consumers have started spending money for safe and organic food. Organic certified products are preferred by the consumers, as it is free from agrochemical residues.
Future roadmap for Lacon in India?
Lacon would like to emerge as one of the most valued CBs in India and hence we are very keen on ensuring trust among the stakeholders and consumers. There are many customers in India, who trust the inspections carried out by Lacon and demand for Lacon certified products. We are working hard to ensure that trust and to build more credible assurance in other sectors as well. We are also planning to offer other certifications to the Indian clients that are offered in Germany.
Your advice to aspiring organic businesses in India? Can startups afford organic certification?
India is a big market with lots of opportunity and there is enough space for startup companies to work in this sector. If one per cent of Indians started buying organic products, it is bigger than the European market. However, due to lack of trust, many of them are not convinced about that. If the organisation/ startups can create trust and also make proper presentation in terms of packing and visibility. They must make sure that they are certified by a good certification body of repute. A good certifier can help the new company to enter into a new market or country.
The certification is not expensive for a good start up with a proper business plan. Rather it’s an integral part of their business that reduces their efforts while making an entry to a new market. Certification is always demanded by the customer and hence he is willing to take the cost involved provided the products are genuinely organic. Pricing is not the real issue in organic. The core area is Trust and traceability. Those who can establish these can easily find a market.
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It’s very useful to understand about certification