A Bhutan Organic Certification System (BOCS) is being put in place to ensure that vegetables are 100 percent organic.
BAFRA inspectors, officials from the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives, and the National Organic Programme have been trained on the BOCS.
BOCS can trace the vegetables back to the farms where they were grown. The system used is an internal control system- a simple process of documentation where farmers keep diaries.
“We have developed a simple farmer’s diary which can be written in using Dzongkha …The farmers can note down their farm activities , where their seeds/manure are from, the type of bio-pesticides used. Every aspect of farming is documented…and verified by trained BAFRA inspectors by visiting the farms”, says a consultant with BAFRA, Dr.A Thimmaiah.
The Ministry of Agriculture has also developed the National organic Standards of Bhutan. Dr. Thimmaiah says the standards have been developed keeping in mind international norms and local conditions.
The National Organic Standards of Bhutan will soon be published by the National Organic Programme.
