List of certified farmer groups & private farms in August 2020

Certification Status Update

Changes in certification compared to last month

Compared to July, there were no major changes, except that one additional group in the Thanh Xuan Inter-group was inspected and recertified after expiration.

Products in transition or under disciplinary action are excluded from this list, are not tagged with QR codes, and are sold as safe vegetables.

Whether products are in transition or under disciplinary sanction, farmers are still inspected and must comply with PGS organic standards; therefore, the produce still meets the quality standards of safe vegetables and is sold by business units at safe vegetable prices. We sincerely hope consumers understand and support farmers during their transition and corrective period.

Weather and production

Prolonged rain in the second half of July caused considerable losses for the groups, particularly among mustard greens and other leafy vegetables. Successive storms and heavy rains have made farming even more difficult. Farmers should make every effort to clear drainage ditches and install hoop covers to limit damage from waterlogging and rain-battered vegetables.

QR label — the mark of an authentic product

To help customers identify products that comply with PGS organic standards and remain under ongoing monitoring, farmers must label certified vegetables after harvesting, cleaning and packaging, and update all required information in the QR code—ensuring traceability to each individual farming household.

Vegetables packaged with the PGS logo printed on them but without a QR stamp are considered counterfeit by us, and PGS will not be held responsible for any customer complaints. The QR stamp is managed by the PGS Vietnam Coordination Committee.

In late July, the Luong Son Inter-group handled a fraudulent case where conventional produce was packed into packaging bearing the name of Luong Son Inter-group under PGS Vietnam and sold at a stall in Xanh Market, Dinh Cong urban area. The incident was uncovered when a customer grew suspicious because the products lacked QR code labels and reported it to the PGS Coordination Board for traceability.

Therefore, to protect themselves, customers should only choose products with QR code stamps, scan the stamps to know the farmer's name, take photos of the packaging along with the farmer's name, and report back to the purchasing store to safeguard product quality and consumer rights.

Source: PGS Vietnam Coordination Committee – July 18, 2020