Overview
India signed an equivalency agreement with the EU for organic products. What does this mean for importers? What documentation is still required? We explain everything.
Key Insights for Importers
India signed an equivalency agreement with the EU for organic products. What does this mean for importers? What documentation is still required? We explain everything.
The annual organic certificate proves the supplier is certified — it does NOT cover your specific shipment. The Transaction Certificate (TC) must be issued for each shipment by the NPOP-accredited certifying body and must match your Bill of Lading exactly.
India's Export Infrastructure: What Buyers Should Know
India's organic certification ecosystem has grown to over 30 NPOP-accredited certifying bodies covering all major agricultural states. The most widely recognised bodies for international trade are Control Union, ECOCERT, Lacon, and OneCert — their NPOP certificates are accepted at EU, UK, and Canadian borders without additional verification. For USDA NOP, US-accredited certifiers operating in India include CCOF, QCS, and OEFFA. When verifying a supplier's organic certificate, always check: (1) the certificate is current, (2) the specific product category is in scope, (3) the certifying body is on the NPOP accredited list, and (4) the TC for your shipment has been issued.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NPOP equivalent to USDA organic?
Yes. The NPOP (National Programme for Organic Production) of India has a bilateral equivalency agreement with the USDA NOP (National Organic Program) since 2011. This means NPOP-certified organic products from India can be sold as 'organic' in the USA without additional NOP certification. However, this covers unprocessed and processed plant products only — livestock and livestock products are excluded from the equivalency.
Is NPOP equivalent to EU organic?
Yes. India's NPOP has an equivalency arrangement with the EU organic regulation, allowing NPOP-certified Indian agricultural products to be exported to and sold as 'organic' in EU member states. This agreement covers plant products. EU buyers should verify that the Indian exporter holds a valid NPOP certificate issued by an APEDA-accredited certification body.
What is NPOP certification in India?
NPOP (National Programme for Organic Production) is India's national organic certification standard, governed by APEDA under the Ministry of Commerce. It sets standards for organic farming, processing, labelling, and accreditation of certification bodies. NPOP is equivalent to both USDA NOP (USA) and EU Organic regulations, making NPOP-certified products acceptable in the world's two largest organic markets.
Which certification bodies issue NPOP certificates in India?
NPOP certificates are issued by APEDA-accredited certification bodies such as IMO Control, OneCert Asia, ECOCERT India, Lacon Quality Certification, Bureau Veritas, and others. Radiance Overseas works with accredited NPOP certification bodies and can provide organic transaction certificates (OTC) for each shipment.