GlobalGAP
Good Agricultural Practices certification for fresh produce
GlobalGAP is the world's leading farm assurance program, developed in 1997 (originally as EurepGAP). It establishes voluntary standards for safe, sustainable agricultural production. Most major European and North American retailers require GlobalGAP-certified suppliers for fresh fruits and vegetables.
The Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard covers traceability, food safety, environment, animal welfare, and worker welfare. There are scope-specific modules: crops base, fruit and vegetables, livestock, aquaculture. The audit is conducted annually by approved certification bodies.
For Egyptian growers exporting fresh produce to EU/UK supermarkets, GlobalGAP IFA is the de-facto baseline. Without it, your produce cannot enter most retailer supply chains. Beyond IFA, additional add-ons (GRASP for worker welfare, Nurture for Tesco) may be required by specific buyers.
FoodGate Audit conducts GlobalGAP gap analyses, pre-audits, and supplier verification on behalf of importers. Common findings: pesticide residue management, water quality records, harvest hygiene, packing house separation, and waste/recycling.