On July 18th and 19th, the management team and part of the board of Global GAP visited apple and pear orchards in the south-west of France. The goal of this visit was to raise awareness on the issues raised by the new Global GAP specifications published at the start of the year, explains Xavier Le Clanche, technical manager of Eco Responsible Orchards.
Representatives from FNPFruits, GEFEL, Légumes de France, Felcoop, Fedepom and UNPT were present as "they face the same issues as the apple and pear sector" / © ANPP
Two new standards that are causing problems
The Global GAP and Grasp standards were reviewed in January 2024. The Global GAP IFA (Integrated Food Assurance) version 6 on agricultural practices and its associated Grasp version 2 module on social aspects (especially the working conditions on farms) now impose stricter rules. Checks on these two new versions are scheduled for this autumn. The problem is that "difficulties of interpretation on certain points and requirements have come up against the realities on the ground in production (orchards and stations), and the French law itself. "For example, the GRASP standard requires a medical check-up every year, while France requires a check-up every 4 years (2 years for the most high-risk jobs). This is a parameter that we cannot control because it is governed by the French Labor Code." Another example is the number of changes in the standards regarding water management, particularly in relation to microbiological risk management. We are now required to use only potable water," explains Xavier. This requirement is difficult to meet at a time when access to water resources is under threat. "The risks are non-existent for most of the fruit, since there is no possibility of contamination with the fruit or immediate consumption. It was agreed that an appropriate risk analysis would enable this requirement to be waived."
The visits took place at Gaec de Nivelle, STANOR and BLUE WHALE SAS / © ANPP
"THE certification to have"
This problem is all the more important now that the Global GAP certification is required for commercial relations with European distributors. "It is THE certification to have and the most widespread approach worldwide," according to Xavier. It is essential for exports to Europe, South-East Asia and the Middle East, "markets in which France already has a strong presence. Almost all our members are currently covered by this certification, so if producers cannot comply with the requirements, the economic consequences could be severe."
A call for simplification in the face of a "proliferation of specifications"
The solution would be simplification by recognising and pooling existing procedures and certifications. "Producers are somewhat saturated with the proliferation of requirements contained in the specifications. What the French Apple Pear Association is asking for is a simplification of the commitments made in the standards. Some requirements are already included in other standards, such as GFSI (Global Food Safety Certification) or IFS, so it would be appropriate to pool them to simplify audits."
The extremely limited room for the certification bodies in charge of controls to maneuver represents another difficulty. The exercise consists precisely in adapting to the reality on the ground and therefore to different situations. The Global GAP teams have clearly understood that this lack of freedom contributes to the discontent from the inspections and feeds the gap between the requirements of the specifications and the reality of the profession."
Similar requests made in the past have gone unheeded. "We (ANPP) are a member of the national technical group which formulates requests and proposals for changes to the specifications, but this technical feedback did not seem to carry enough weight. Today, we are pleased to have been able to establish a link with the Global GAP teams and we hope that our requests will be taken into account as a result of this visit."
For more information:
Xavier Le Clanche
Association Nationale Pommes Poires
[email protected]