New rule on organic food effective

A new rule on organic food certification came into effect on Tuesday amid the country's effort to regulate the chaotic certification market and protect consumers' interest.

Issued by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, the new rule has replaced the previous version which was effective since April 2005, and is more stringent compared with the older edition.

Currently a lot of organic food certifications are prevalent in the market, misleading consumers.

Domestic and foreign applicants must get recognition and accreditation of the Certification and Accreditation Administration of China (CNCA) in order to get a recognizable and distinguishing logo for organic foods to be sold in China, according to the new regulation.

The CNCA will have on-spot check before and after giving accreditation, and violation of the rules including using misleading organic food logo is subject to a fine ranging from 10,000 yuan ($1,626) to 30,000 yuan.