繁體中文
耕作同認證
有機農夫唔用化學農藥同化肥,改用堆肥、輪作、覆蓋作物、生物防治同物理方法防治病蟲害,並記錄施肥、用藥同收成情況。認證機構會實地檢查農場,核對紀錄同生產標準有無牴觸,符合要求者先獲發證書。由於轉型期內土壤同環境需要時間適應,農友一般要先經歷一段轉換期,期間產品唔可以當作有機出售。
官方支援服務
漁農自然護理署嘅有機耕作支援服務為有意申請認證嘅農友提供化驗、評估同技術支援,包括土壤同灌溉水化驗、實地有機評估、定期探訪、病蟲害防治同耕作技術意見、協助認證申請同協助銷售。申請表訂明,加入服務後六個月內須向香港有機資源中心提交認證申請並提供證明,否則視作自動退出。
認證機構同標準
香港現時有兩個有機認證組織。香港有機資源中心喺二零零二年成立,並喺二零零四年推出獨立有機認證服務,其認證公司 HKORC-Cert 按《有機生產、水產養殖、加工處理及投入物料標準》運作,涵蓋作物生產、水產養殖同加工處理。申請人須簽署協議、承諾遵守標準並容許檢查員實地檢查,由認證委員會發證。
English
Farming and certification
Organic farmers avoid synthetic pesticides and fertilisers and instead use composting, crop rotation, cover crops, biological control and physical methods for pest and disease management, and record fertilisation, treatments and harvests. Certification bodies inspect the farm on site, check records against the production standard, and issue a certificate only to those who comply. Because the soil and environment need time to adapt during conversion, farmers normally go through a conversion period during which produce may not be sold as organic.
Official support service
The AFCD's Organic Farming Support Service provides testing, assessment and technical support for farmers intending to seek certification, including soil and irrigation-water testing, on-site organic assessment, regular visits, advice on pest and disease control and cultivation techniques, help with certification applications and marketing support. The application form states that a certification application must be submitted to the Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre with proof within six months of joining, failing which the farm is treated as having withdrawn. The service acts as a bridge between conventional practice and formal organic certification.
Certification bodies and standards
Hong Kong currently has two organic certification bodies. The Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre was established in 2002 and launched its independent organic certification service in 2004; its certification arm, HKORC-Cert, operates under the Organic Production, Aquaculture, Processing and Input Manufacturing Standard, covering crop production, aquaculture and processing/handling. Applicants must sign an agreement, promise to comply with the standard and allow inspectors to conduct on-site inspections, and the Certification Board issues the certificate. Certified producers may then market their crops as organic within the scope of the certification.