Certification of organic agriculture and trade issues

Abstract

Organic agriculture is not policy-driven, but demand-led agriculture. The implementation of regulations, checks, and certifications aimed at protecting consumers against fraud and protecting producers against unfair competition. Certification of organic agriculture guarantees quality, food safety, and traceability of the product to the consumer at the domestic (by Participatory Guarantee Systems) and export levels (by third-party certification). The certification of organic foods meets the increasing global demand for organic foods. The global market for organic foods has increased to a size of more than 100 million Euros in 2019. Despite the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, organic certification will be on the rise globally by 2021. The pandemic COVID-19 incidence improves consumer knowledge of the relationship between diet and health. A rise in interest has resulted as a result of this development in goods that have a "healthy halo, " including functional foods, fruits, and vegetables. The popularity of organic foods is growing as people become more environmentally conscious and concerned about their personal health, wellness, and nutrition. Although national disparities in certificates exist, there is a pressing need to standardize them to facilitate international trade. © 2023 Apple Academic Press, Inc.