Organic producers in New Zealand call for national standard
Staff Writer |
Organic producers, importers and consumers have met with the Ministry for Primary Industries in Wellington to discuss whether New Zealand is in need of a national standard for organic products.
Article continues below
The meeting was the first of eight set to happen across the country over the next few weeks, Radio NZ reports.
Out of the top 25 countries who trade organically, Australia and New Zealand are the only two which don't have a national standard to ensure products are, in fact, organic.
Organic producers can be audited and certified by organisations to get an organic stamp of approval - but that comes at a cost.
When you step into the Wellington Chocolate Factory, you're greeted by the whirring sound of machines and the sweet smell of chocolate.
The factory has been open for five years and produces organic, ethically sourced and traded chocolate.
The factory's production manager, Oliver Findlay, said all of their beans were grown organically without pesticides.
"So, we roast all of the beans, we grind all of the beans down into chocolate - generally into a dark chocolate so 70 percent cocoa, 30 percent sugar.
"We try to source it all ethically, so we do a lot of direct trade with farmers, which is better for the farmers - they get a lot more out of it.
"It's better for the development of the small countries as well, which is pretty cool," Mr Findlay said.
The Wellington Chocolate Factory is one of 750 producers and manufacturers of organic produce certified by BioGro.
Being certified by an organisation, like Biogro, is one of the only options for manufacturers who want to establish their organic credentials - and involves a one-off cost of around $2000.
Certification involves auditing the way manufacturers produce, process and distribute their products.
It ensures an organic product is free of additives and no chemicals were used during growth.
If a company introduced a new product, or changed suppliers, it would require a new certification. ■