Organic Certification allows a farm or processing facility to sell, label, and represent their products as organic. In order words, we verify that your farm or handling facility complies with the Organic Livestock and Crops Owners Association Nigeria organic regulations.
Once you are certified, you can sell, label, and represent your products as organic. These regulations describe the specific standards required for you to use the word “organic” or the Organic Livestock and Crops Owners Association Nigeria organic seal on food, feed, or fibre products. The organic brand provides consumers with more choices in the marketplace.
Any organic operation violating the Organic Livestock and Crops Owners Association of Nigeria organic regulations faces enforcement actions, which can include financial penalties or suspension/revocation of their organic certificate.
What can be certified?
The Organic Livestock and Crops Owners Association Nigeria organic regulations recognize four categories of organic products:
- Crops: A plant that is grown to be harvested as food, livestock feed, fibre, or used to add nutrients to the field.
- Livestock: Animals that can be used for food or in the production of food, fibre, or feed.
- Processed products: Items that have been handled and packaged (i.e. chopped carrots) or combined, processed and packaged (i.e. soup).
- Wild crops: Plants from a growing site that is not cultivated.
Benefits of Organic Certification
Organic agriculture is a fast growing sector in Nigeria agriculture, creating jobs and promoting economic growth and opportunities across the Country. There are thousands of certified organic farms and businesses in Nigeria and the number continues to grow as consumer demand for organic grows.
The Organic Livestock and Crops Owners Association of Nigeria organic regulations describe how the word “organic” or the Organic Livestock and Crops Owners Association of Nigeria organic seal can be used on food, feed, or fibre products. These clear regulations create entrepreneurial opportunities for producers and processors that want to capitalize on consumer growth in the organic sector.
Becoming certified organic helps producers and handlers:
- Receive premium prices for their products
- Access fast-growing local, regional, and international markets
- Support local economies
- Access additional funding and technical assistance
- Market products to consumers
Do I Need to Be Certified Organic?
Most farms and businesses that grow, handle, or process organic products must be certified, including:
- Farms that sell more than N100,000 in organic products per year (gross sales).
- Handlers that sell more than N100,000 of organic processed food, including handlers that place bulk products into smaller packages or that repackage/relabel products.
- Processors that sell more than N1,000,000 of organic processed products, unless all products contain less than 70 percent organic ingredients or only identify the organic ingredients in the ingredient statement.
- Vendors that handle (e.g. package) and sell products online (but not in stores) or otherwise deliver organic products.
Overall, if you make a product and want to claim that it or its ingredients are organic, your final product probably also needs to be certified.
Who may not need to be certified?
- Small organic farms and businesses (gross agricultural income from organic sales less than N100,000 per year)
- Brokers, distributors, and traders
- Retail food establishments
- Exempt handling operations
Although certification is not required for these “exempted” or “excluded” operations, they may pursue voluntary organic certification. Exempted and excluded operations still need to comply with specific sections of the Organic Livestock and Crops Owners Association of Nigeria organic regulations/standards.