Our Certifications — FSSAI, PGS-India Organic & What They Mean

FSSAI Certification — What It Is and Is Not

What FSSAI license means:

• The manufacturer or seller has registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
• They have agreed to comply with FSSAI’s Food Safety and Standards Act 2006
• They can be held legally accountable for food safety violations
• They are subject to random FSSAI inspection and sample testing

What FSSAI license does NOT mean:

• That the specific product was tested for safety
• That the product meets any particular quality standard
• That it is organic, pesticide-free, or nutritionally superior
• It is a baseline legal requirement, not a quality endorsement

You can verify any FSSAI license number at fssai.gov.in → Public Services → Verify FBO.

Our FSSAI Number: Available on all product packaging and on trust.organicmandya.com

PGS-India Organic Certification

PGS-India (Participatory Guarantee System for India) is the Government of India’s organic certification system designed specifically for small and marginal farmers. It was established because the cost of NPOP third-party certification (₹15,000–50,000+ per year per farm) is prohibitive for small farmers.

How PGS-India works:

1. Farmers form a local group (minimum 5 farmers)
2. The group collectively follows organic farming standards (no synthetic pesticides, no chemical fertilisers, no GMO)
3. Members peer-inspect each other’s farms annually
4. Regional/national councils conduct oversight audits
5. Certified farms receive PGS-India organic status

What PGS-India certification guarantees:

• Commitment to organic practices as defined by the standard
• Annual peer verification by other farmers in the group
• No synthetic pesticide use during the certification period
• Conversion period compliance (2–3 years)

The limitation of PGS-India: It uses participatory/peer verification rather than independent third-party auditors. While this makes it accessible and community-driven, it has less independence than NPOP. This is why we complement organic certification with third-party lab testing — the two together provide stronger assurance than either alone.

NPOP — The Export Standard

NPOP (National Programme for Organic Production) is India’s premium organic certification:

• Third-party audited by accredited certification bodies (APOF, Ecocert, IMO, etc.)
• Required for organic exports to EU, USA, Japan
• Higher cost: ₹15,000–50,000+ per farm per year
• More rigorous inspection process

Organic Mandya works with both PGS-India certified farmers (primarily small and marginal farmers) and some NPOP-certified farmers (for export products). The specific certification for each product is noted on the packaging.

How to Verify Our Certifications

FSSAI License:

• Visit fssai.gov.in → Verify FBO
• Enter our license number (on packaging)
• Confirms we are a registered food business in India

PGS-India:

• Visit pgsindia-ncof.gov.in
• Search for farmers or farmer groups in Mandya district
• Our farmer groups should appear in the PGS registry

NABL Lab Accreditation (for our test reports):

• Visit nabl.gov.in → Search Accredited Labs
• Enter the lab accreditation number from any of our published reports
• Confirms the lab is genuinely NABL accredited

Q

If a product says Organic but has no certification logo, is it genuinely organic?

A

In India, the word 'organic' on food packaging legally requires FSSAI licensing and must be backed by an approved organic certification (NPOP, PGS-India, or FSSAI Organic). However, enforcement of this labelling requirement is incomplete. Many products use 'natural,' 'farm fresh,' or even 'organic' without actual certification. The safest check: look for the specific certification logo (India Organic / PGS Green / NPOP logo) plus a certification body name and certificate number. If these are absent, the organic claim is unverified.

Q

Why don't all your products have NPOP certification instead of PGS-India?

A

NPOP certification costs ₹15,000–50,000+ per farm per year — a financial burden that most small Mandya farmers (who typically own 1–3 acres) cannot bear. Requiring NPOP would exclude the small farmers who form the foundation of our supply chain and who genuinely farm organically. PGS-India was created specifically for this situation. We supplement PGS-India's community-based verification with our own third-party lab testing — this combination provides stronger practical assurance than NPOP certification alone (which certifies practices but does not typically include comprehensive lab testing).