On November 10, 2013, at the office of the Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association in Hanoi, the PGS Coordination Committee held its regular meeting to evaluate implemented activities and roll out subsequent activities.
Evaluation of PGS activities
Monitoring and certification in Luong Son, Thanh Xuan
Attending the meeting were members of the Coordination Committee, Prof. Dr. Pham Thi Thuy — Vice President of the Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association (VOAA), and Ms. Pham Kim Oanh — officer of the Center for Science and Cooperation under VOAA.
Ms. Tu Tuyet Nhung, Head of the PGS Vietnam Coordination Committee, evaluated the monitoring, inspection, and certification work in the two producer inter-groups of Luong Son and Thanh Xuan.
Luong Son Inter-group
Following their transition period, the three groups of Cay Gao, Dong Suong, and Suoi Coc were inspected and granted their first certification. Two organic pomelo groups, Tan Son and Go Bai, requested to withdraw from PGS because they did not benefit from participating; therefore, Luong Son will no longer have PGS organic pomelo.
The organic chicken product of member Nguyen Thi Dung from the Dam Da group was recognized after one year of applying PGS organic livestock standards.
Thanh Xuan Inter-group and next plans
Six transitional hectares in Thanh Xuan were not certified because farmers arbitrarily used Que Lam organic fertilizer, which is not on the list of permitted PGS inputs. The transition period was extended by three months; two groups, Trung and Tu Nguyen, were also suspended from certification for three months.
Members agreed on the need to coordinate closely with consumers and retailers, strengthen monitoring at both production and market ends, ensure transparency, and expand the PGS network. The annual PGS conference is scheduled to be held on December 18 or 19, 2013.
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