Over the last three years Goji berries have become very popular in international markets. They have gone from being almost unknown a few years ago to now widely being stocked in shops throughout the world. This growth has been accompanied by publicity that talks of their unbeatable health properties. Organic goji has also seen demand rocket, in spite of being sold at much higher prices than conventional goji. Both conventional and organic goji are grown mainly in China.

However, the high value of organic goji berries has created a problem. Bernhard Schulz, from CERES, one of the certification bodies that certifies goji berries in China explains: ‘The great demand and the big difference between the price of organic and conventional goji berries has made many of the operators in China, both at production level and processors/exporters, inside and outside China, to be tempted to apply prohibited inputs or to increase their production by bringing non-organic berries. The chemical analyses that we usually take on this produce have demonstrated that almost all our operators in China had committed some kind of serious non conformities, infringements or even fraud.’

Due to these problems, CERES has decided to stop certifying goji in China for the time being. Their decision was announced on their website, accompanied with a detailed explanation on what occurred to make them take this decision. In a policy paper titled ‘Discontinuing Organic Berry Certification in China’, CERES states that they have been involved in the certification of goji projects in China since 2006, but in recent years all kind of problems, including fraud, have occurred. In an attempt to reduce these problems, in 2008 CERES initiated particular control measures, such as shortening inspection periods, increasing the number of unannounced inspections, and more pesticides analyses.

However, in spite of the special measures, CERES explains that problems continued and in 2010 even became worse. Therefore, the disproportional costs, the effects on their reputation and the impossibility to really exert control over the operators under the current circumstances, CERES decided to discontinue organic goji berry certification in 2011.

Berhard Schulz hopes that organic goji berries go out of fashion, which would paradoxically permit a sustainable growth of this product’s market. CERES will reconsider their decision in the future when they can see that the market offers less incentive to operators to conduct fraud.

Nuria Alonso

Sources:

Berhard Schulz, CERES Management Team

CERES website: ‘Our Organic Policies: Discontinuing Organic Berry Certification in China’ www.ceres-cert.com