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GLOBAL G.A.P Introduction

Global G.A.P can be considered as a prerequisite requirement when producers want to export agricultural products to foreign markets that require high quality. In addition, Global G.A.P also distributes to create the higher value of products compared to similar products which aren’t proven the origin, safety and quality.
What is Global G.A.P?
EUREPGAP is an initiative of European retailers, established in 1997, abbreviated as EUREP (Euro-Retail Produce) with the target of establishment the standards and procedures for the development of sustainable agricultural production. In September 2007 in Thailand, members of EUREPGAP agreed to transform from EUREPGAP into GLOBALGAP.

Good agricultural practices (G.A.P) is the production process which includes the selection of area, land use, fertilizer, water, pest control, harvest, packaging, storage, field sanitation and delivery product and so on so as to develop sustainable agriculture with the following main aims:
1. Ensuring safe for food
2. Ensuring safe for producers
3. Environmental protection
4. Traceability of products
Global G.A.P is an organization that has established voluntary standards for certification of agricultural products globally. Global G.A.P has become an important quality assurance system for the production of agricultural products.
In previous years, Global G.A.P was considered as an advanced standard. However, it has been recently considered a prerequisite requirement when producers want to export their agricultural products to other markets requiring high quality. As a result of Global G.A.P application, it also helps products to reach high prices compared to similar products which are not proven its origin, safety and quality.


Basic information about the GLOBAL G.A.P
Currently, Global G.A.P organization has issued  sets of main standards that can apply to different groups of agricultural products and activities, including the main groups: cultivation, husbandry, aquaculture, seedlings, feed, pet transportation and some other auxiliary standards such as standards of the chain of custody, animal welfare, risk assessment on social practices, etc.
The factors like the actual production and the needs of each organization, company, production group will affect the management’s decision of which standards are comformable. Detail of these standard will be introduced by KIS at other posts.

Actual application of GLOBAL G.A.P in Vietnam
From September 1, 2009, the EU has applied new standards at the same time to limit pesticide residues in food in Europe, to ensure consumer safety and to wide trade and imports. The EU laws of pesticide residue illustrates about 1,100 types of pesticide used in agriculture at countries which are both inside and outside the EU. The key principle of the new law is that food safety will take precedence over plant protection.
In recent years, the Government and related ministries and branches have paid much attention to Good Agricultural Practices (G.A.P) and Food Hygiene and Safety (FHS). However, according to the data of Plant Protection Department (in 2008), the area of ​​agricultural production under the good argriculture practices (G.A.P) of the Vietnam is only about 5%. Due to industrialization and modernization of agriculture in Vietnam, more and more companies, production groups, cooperatives or households have the need to apply Global G.A.P for all fields: planting cultivation, husbandry, aquaculture ... aiming to export to the strict markets such as the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan .... Moreover, it promts the production and increase product value. Here are some examples that organizations have successfully applied Global G.A.P:
Hoang Hau Dragon Fruit Company (Binh Thuan) has produced dragon fruit meeting Global G.A.P   standard with scale of 80 ha (including 3 farms: Hoang Hau farm of 45 ha, Xuan Vinh farm of 22.5 ha and Ngoc Le farm of 18 ha). In addition, this company has built packing factory obeying BRC standards of Europe on the basis of associating with Global G.A.P   dragon fruit farms. The company annually exports dragon fruits with a exported-turnover of nearly 5 million USD.
Hoa Loc My Xuong Mango Cooperative (Cao Lanh, Dong Thap) is producing mangoes according to requirements of Global G.A.P   standards. Nowaday, the cooperative has signed a contract with Japanese Sanatra company to export 5-10 tonnes of Hoa Loc mango which is created in accordance with Global G.A.P requirements for each month with a continuous supply time of 5-7 months per year (Department of Crop Production, 2012).
Additionally, in the Mekong Delta, there is Vinh Kim star apple with an area of ​​7 hectares that has been certified to meet Global G.A.P standards.
Thus, if organization want to export product into the market of EU, US and some other countries, organization shall apply Global G.A.P standards for its production to easily expand the market. Therefore, Global G.A.P is necessary and become more and more important - Global G.A.P is seemed as a "passport" that suppliers must submit to retailers, importers, and processors in other countries. Currently, there is a number of products certified Global G.A.P in our country such as Lo Ren star apple, Cho Gao dragon fruits, Tan Lap pineapple (Tien Giang), Cho Lach rambutan (Ben Tre), etc. All products above received good responds from domestic and foreign markets.
 

Translator: Department of Administration