B30 Governance

USDA says ending organic agri pact with India points to ‘magnitude of fraud’ https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/usda-says-ending-organic-agri-pact-with-india-points-to-magnitude-of-fraud/article66423680.ece 
January 23, 2023 -  
Quarterly organic products shipments down 39%, number of certification companies dip 63%
BY SUBRAMANI RA MANCOMBU In­dia’s export of organic products has dropped by 39% on a quarterly basis and the number of certified companies authorising such shipments has dipped by 63% since July 2022. The decline follows its decision to end a 15-year-old agreement with India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) to provide accreditation to agencies exporting organic products to the US. The USDA said its Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) ended the arrangement in January 2021 since audits by the US National Organic Program (NOP) consistently found India’s organic control system “to be insufficient to protect the integrity of the USDA organic seal”.