To promote market-oriented fruit production in Bhutan, the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI) in collaborated with the Department of Agriculture (DoA) has initiated a kiwi fruit plantation project in Chhukha dzongkhag in 2015. The project involved supplying kiwi fruit saplings to 27 farmers of Bongo Gewog. To facilitate the marketing of kiwi fruit, BCCI was requested to provide attestation issued by a competent conformity assessment body in the country. This was done to emphasize the importance of safe and high-quality food standards in fair trade practices to protects the consumers from potential risks associated with hazardous contamination.
To meet the requirements of buyers, BCCI, in collaboration with DoA and the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA) has trained the e beneficiary farmers in Chhukha dzongkhag on the following details:
- Bhutan GAP Standard (Standard for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables) – BTS 30:2017
- Packaging practices for kiwi crops in accordance with the BhutanGAP standard requirements.
- Documentation requirements for third-party certification and the third-party certification process.
Out of the 27 beneficiaries, only 10 individual farmers applied for Bhutan GAP third-party certification from the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA), Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), taking into consideration the size of their farms and the maturity of their kiwi vines.
However, only nine individual farmers with a total area of 9.822 acres able to meet the requirements of the BhutanGAP standard (BTS 30:2017) and the GAP Certification scheme (BFDA-CS-03). Following the certification process, the BFDA, Ministry of Health (MoH), granted BhutanGAP scope certificate to the nine individual farmers on 26th November 2022.
Reported by:
- APD, Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
- Certification Services, Bhutan Food and Drug Authority, Ministry of Health
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