TOKYO, Nov. 17 ― Japanese farmers as well as food makers will have an easier time exporting their products, as two Japanese food certificate programs have been recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), a key step to boost exports of Japanese food products.
The GFSI is a food industry-driven global collaboration to advance food safety and provide continuous improvement in food safety management systems around the world.
The Japanese agriculture announced on Nov. 16 that the ASIAGAP certification, or an Asian version of Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), and the JFS-C have been accepted by the GFSI.
The GFSI-accepted food safety management standards have become important requirements for satisfying retail chain demand as well as aiding compliance with regulations and boosting consumer confidence in food products.
The ASIAGAP is developed by the Japan GAP Foundation (JGF), and JFS-C is developed by the Japan Food Safety Management Association (JFSM).
The Global GAP certifications are issued by Germany’s FoodPlus GmbH.
The GAP certification not only ensures food safety but also indicates environmentally friendly food production, safety of food industry workers and other conditions.
In other words, farmers need to be educated on selecting a good site for production, good planting materials, planting and intercropping, controlling weed, controlling major pests and diseases, pruning, managing soil fertility, water management and reducing post-harvest losses.