Organic certification body pushed

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in partnership with the Cebu City government and the Cebu Provincial government, is set to push for the formation of an organic certification body by early next year.

CCCI chairman for external affairs Nestor Archival announced that a program called “Cebu Organic Movement” was recently created and one of its flagship projects is the creation of a legitimate organic certifying body here to boost the organic farming in the province.

Initially, the program already got a budget allocation of P300 thousand from the DA, said Archival.

Part of the project is to maintain at least one or two demo-farm for organic farming to be put up jointly by the Cebu City government and the provincial government.

Archival who is also known as hard-core organic farming advocate, said that Cebu with its growing number of customers demanding for real organic product needs to have this facility immediately.

Based on the “Organic Agriculture Act 2010” or Republic Act No. 10068, all supermarkets are required to put up a stall that provides all certified organic products. In Cebu, because of the shortage of supply, most supermarkets still have to comply on this requirement, Archival said.

In Cebu, several non-government organizations (NGOs) appealed to the Department of Agriculture (DA) to implement a sustainable farming system in the city and province to help ensure food security.

Earlier, DA announced that it is allocating P900 million for 2011 to implement various initiatives under the RA No. 10068.

As provided under the Republic Act, a National Organic Agriculture Board (NOAB) will be created to serve as the policy-making body that will provide direction and general guidelines for the implementation of the national organic agriculture program.

The market for organic products is steadily increasing across the world.

Today, organic products are an alternative that is economically, environmental and socially interesting to the small farmers, especially in Cebu.

However, Archival said the absence of a certifying body here, derailed to push the farmers’ interest to go into organic farming, although there is a potential.

Without, a local certifying body, Archival said it is expensive to get a certification from the outside.

At present there are only three organic farm certification group, two of which are privately operated, while the other one is managed by the government.

Archival said the organic law is very strict. It involves a lot of processes, and it is a lot more expensive for the farmers to go into organic farming, without the presence of a local certifying body in Cebu.       

While the market for certified organically produced products such as fruits, vegetables, and crops are on the rise, farmers will not only be able to take advantage of this growing market domestically, but also it will open the wide consumer-based overseas.

The private sector here in Cebu noted that the province is lagging behind in terms of pushing “organic farming” initiatives. Negros, and Bohol are leading in this movement, and     Cebu on the other hand is seen to trail blaze in this organic movement, with the collaborative efforts of the private sector and the government, Archival concluded.— (FREEMAN)