Certification Services

CERTIFICATION SERVICES

BFDA-Certification Services (BFDA-CS) is headed by the Certification Manager and functions through Certification Officers for food products, organic and GAP certification, competent auditors/evaluators identified based on the different certification services.

BFDA-CS is mandated with the following functions:

Function as a Third-Party Certification Body to provide:
Agri-food product certification services
Organic certification services
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification services
Promote awareness on the use of Certification Marks to the relevant stakeholders including consumers.
Liaise with the relevant national, regional and international organizations to increase acceptance of certification and promote mutual recognition or equivalence of certification marks.

BFDA-CS is accredited to ISO/IEC 17065:2012 (Conformity assessment: General requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB), India (NABCB Accredited Certificate ). The NABCB accredited certificate No is PC 012 issued on March 19, 2018 and valid till March 18, 2025. Currently the certification services provided by the BFDA-CS are on gratis. The scope under accredited includes:

IAF 01 – Agriculture

Good Agricultural Practices covering activities such as primary production, harvesting and post-harvest handling of farm produce and pack house operation for fresh fruits and vegetables
Organic Production (crops/animal husbandry/Wild collection, Aquaculture / Apiculture), Food processing, Handling, Storage and Marketing.

IAF 03 – Food Products and Beverages

Packaged drinking water
Packaged Natural Mineral water
Fruit Juices and Nectar

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SERVICES

Plant and animal quarantine Services

The primary mandates of Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA) is to implement effective biosecurity measures to protect the agriculture farming system including animal health, and public health from risks of entry, establishment and spread of exotic and or notifiable pests and diseases. Thus, a major role is placed…more

Import permit and clearance

Import of animals/plants and their products are allowed into the country with prior approval and obtaining Import Permit from BAFRA. At arrival at the point of entry, the consignment intended for import must be accompanied with a Phytosanitary Certificate for plant consignment and Zoo-sanitary Certificate for animal consignment…more

In-country movement permits

Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority implements measures to reduce the transmission of animal or plant, pest and diseases from one dzongkhag to another. Hence In-Country Movement Permits are issued

Export certification

BAFRA facilitates the export of plant and plant products by issuing the certificates as per the requirements of the importing country following the procedure below…more

Food Handlers’ Licensing

BAFRA issues food handlers license after a health interview, training on food safety, and signing an undertaking that the food handler and all those under their supervision avoid themselves from handling food under certain conditions of illness as listed below…mo re

Registration & Licensing Services

A person who intends to operate a food business requires a food safety license from BAFRA. BAFRA issues food safety licence to a food business that complies with BAFRA GHP/GMP Criteria for Licensing of food business. To obtain a food safety licence…more

Food Testing Services

To provide food testing services to the regulators, food businesses and the general public, National Food Testing Laboratory was established, and it has following testing facilities..more

Certification Services

BAFRA provides product certification services to support the farmers, industries and commerce in Bhutan for market access and trade facilitation. BAFRA implements product certification in conformity with ISO IEC 17065:2012 to provide a third party mark of certification. Our certification services will enable you…more

Biosafety (GMO) Services

The Biosafety requirements are implemented as per the Biosafety Act of Bhutan 2015, and Biosafety Rules and Regulations 2018. The objectives of this Act is to protect, conserve and safeguard the biodiversity of Bhutan and also to promote the nation’s food and nutrition security and safeguard the animals and human health from unintended effect of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO). Read More…