The Council of Agriculture (COA) said it would continue to strengthen inspections of organic food labeling and quality to protect consumers’ rights after the Consumers' Foundation recently released the results of its survey on organic food.
The foundation’s survey said that six out of 10 randomly selected stores were found to be selling a total of 16 fake organic products produced at home and abroad.
The COA said it welcomed the nonprofit organization's supervision in improving the management of organic farm produce.
The council followed up on fake organic products discovered by the foundation in a previous survey and urged the six shop owners to immediately stop selling items that failed to meet organic standards to protect their reputation.
The COA also said it would strengthen labeling inspections, adding that those selling fake organic products will face fines.
It will help shops create dedicated organic product sales counters to prevent consumer confusion, it added.
The council said that domestic and imported agricultural products and processed agricultural products have to undergo certification before being labeled and sold as “organic” in shops or online.
Certified organic agricultural produce or organic agricultural processed products can be affixed with the organic agricultural product label in accordance with the law.
The council said consumers should look for the supplier certification number and the certified agricultural standards (CAS) stamp on the packaging of organic agricultural products to ensure that they are buying authentic organic goods.
As for imported organic products, consumers should look for a number certifying the imported product, the council said.
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