Europe is the largest export market for sweet potatoes so producers all over the world are jostling for a share of the European potato market. As previously noted, the largest sweet potato market in Europe is the UK followed by the Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, and Germany. Other European countries also consume small amounts of sweet potatoes.
In order to join the EU market, producers must get a EUREPGAP certification for Good Agricultural Practice. EUREPGAP was developed by retailers in the EU in the late 90s and has since been adopted as the global standard or certification for good agricultural practice, hence the name GLOBAL G.A.P.
The idea of GLOBALG.A.P.(EUREPGAP) was conceived to respond to consumer concerns on food safety, environmental protection, worker safety, health and welfare, animal welfare and to meet the challenges of a 21st Century globalized marketplace where suppliers are coming from all over the world. There are sweet potato growers in China, Kenya, Rwanda, the United States, Honduras, Uganda, India, Japan, the Pacific Islands and many other countries. All these producers are looking to the European markets as their key markets. So how do all these diverse producers meet the requirements of consumers in Europe? In response to a crisis like these, retailers/supermarkets in Europe came together to create a set of benchmarks that must be met by producers and exporters before their produce can be accepted into European markets and store fronts. The retailers came with a way of translating consumer requirements into agricultural production. This was done for standardisation and to ensure producers can adhere to the strict and precise requirements to meet consumers’ demands. As these needs have been realized to new global requirements in the new globalized marketplace, EUREGAP is now GLOBALG.A.P and is recognized by all markets globally.
The GLOBALG.A.P is now a private sector body that sets voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products around the globe. The aim is to establish ONE standard for Good Agricultural Practice (G.A.P.) with different product applications capable of fitting to the whole of global agriculture.
GLOBALG.A.P is a pre-farm gate standard and regulates every aspect of the produce from inputs to the moment the produce leaves the farm. Since it’s a business to business label, it’s not directly visible to consumers.
GLOBALG.A.P certification is carried out by more than 100 independent and accredited certification bodies in more than 100 countries. It is open to all producers worldwide.
It involves annual inspections of producers including unannounced visits to farms by agents of certification bodies. To avoid conflicts or multiple audits of farms, existing national or regional farm assurance schemes that have successfully completed their benchmarking process are now recognised as an equivalent to GLOBALG.A.P.
For example, CHINAG.A.P. is the national certification agency for China that now allows Chinese producers to benefit from the rigour and global acceptance of the GLOBALG.A.P certification .
Now that we have made an introduction on the need for GLOBALG.A.P. Certification, we will move head on the next step on the steps producers can take to get the certification in order to open new global markets or their sweet potato produce.
If you need further information or would like to inquire or make an order for sweet potatoes within Nairobi, kindly drop us an email at kabondofarms[at]yahoo.com
In order to join the EU market, producers must get a EUREPGAP certification for Good Agricultural Practice. EUREPGAP was developed by retailers in the EU in the late 90s and has since been adopted as the global standard or certification for good agricultural practice, hence the name GLOBAL G.A.P.
The idea of GLOBALG.A.P.(EUREPGAP) was conceived to respond to consumer concerns on food safety, environmental protection, worker safety, health and welfare, animal welfare and to meet the challenges of a 21st Century globalized marketplace where suppliers are coming from all over the world. There are sweet potato growers in China, Kenya, Rwanda, the United States, Honduras, Uganda, India, Japan, the Pacific Islands and many other countries. All these producers are looking to the European markets as their key markets. So how do all these diverse producers meet the requirements of consumers in Europe? In response to a crisis like these, retailers/supermarkets in Europe came together to create a set of benchmarks that must be met by producers and exporters before their produce can be accepted into European markets and store fronts. The retailers came with a way of translating consumer requirements into agricultural production. This was done for standardisation and to ensure producers can adhere to the strict and precise requirements to meet consumers’ demands. As these needs have been realized to new global requirements in the new globalized marketplace, EUREGAP is now GLOBALG.A.P and is recognized by all markets globally.
The GLOBALG.A.P is now a private sector body that sets voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products around the globe. The aim is to establish ONE standard for Good Agricultural Practice (G.A.P.) with different product applications capable of fitting to the whole of global agriculture.
GLOBALG.A.P is a pre-farm gate standard and regulates every aspect of the produce from inputs to the moment the produce leaves the farm. Since it’s a business to business label, it’s not directly visible to consumers.
GLOBALG.A.P certification is carried out by more than 100 independent and accredited certification bodies in more than 100 countries. It is open to all producers worldwide.
It involves annual inspections of producers including unannounced visits to farms by agents of certification bodies. To avoid conflicts or multiple audits of farms, existing national or regional farm assurance schemes that have successfully completed their benchmarking process are now recognised as an equivalent to GLOBALG.A.P.
For example, CHINAG.A.P. is the national certification agency for China that now allows Chinese producers to benefit from the rigour and global acceptance of the GLOBALG.A.P certification .
Now that we have made an introduction on the need for GLOBALG.A.P. Certification, we will move head on the next step on the steps producers can take to get the certification in order to open new global markets or their sweet potato produce.
If you need further information or would like to inquire or make an order for sweet potatoes within Nairobi, kindly drop us an email at kabondofarms[at]yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment