Seven agricultural producers in the Rostov region plan to receive certificates for the production of organic products in 2024-2025. As the regional Ministry of Agriculture and Food told RBC Rostov, the enterprises intend to grow corn, winter wheat, sunflower and spring barley. As of early September 2023, there is only one certified organic producer in the region.
Organic products do not contain chemicals, residual pesticides, antibiotics, or growth hormones. It is produced on lands that are not fertilized with chemicals or treated with plant protection products prohibited in organics.
Organic products in Russia are protected by a special law, which came into force on January 1, 2020. According to the document, manufacturers have the right to place the words “organic” on their products only if they have a certificate of conformity confirming that national and international standards for the production of organic products were observed during the production of the product, RBC reported. The certificate is issued after verification by special bodies accredited by Rosaccreditation.
At the same time, in the transition period to organic production, there are nine farms under the control of certification bodies, with a total area of organic production plots of 410 hectares. From this list, two enterprises plan to receive certificates for the production of organic products in the fourth quarter of this year.
“The market for organic goods is growing rapidly, the range is becoming wider. The production of useful and healthy products requires a lot of attention and popularization. The production of organic products is a young but promising direction in Russia. The Rostov region has significant potential for the development of organic production,” commented the Don Ministry of Agriculture.
Earlier, RBC Rostov reported that the Rostov region plans to develop organic products. It was planned to introduce support measures for manufacturers in this industry as early as 2023. According to the first deputy governor of the region, Viktor Goncharov, there is a demand for organic products in the region; in the future they may become an export product.