Basic introduction

　　GAP is the abbreviation of Good Agricultural Practices. In a broad sense, as an applicable method and system, Good Agricultural Practices can ensure food safety and food quality through economic, environmental and social sustainable development measures. GAP mainly aims at the control of common microorganisms in the process of planting, harvesting, cleaning, placing, packaging and transportation of most of the fruits and vegetables that are not processed or the least processed and sold to consumers and processing enterprises. GAP focuses on the production and packaging of fresh fruits and vegetables, but not limited to farms, including all steps of the whole food chain from farm to dining table.

Standard features:

　　GAP is based on science and is voluntary. However, FDA and USDA strongly recommend that fresh fruit and vegetable producers adopt GAP.

　　At present, GAP certification has been accepted by more than 24,000 agricultural producers in 61 countries around the world, and now more producers are joining in the list.

　　With the increasing attention of domestic and foreign markets to food safety issues, the requirements for export of agricultural products are more and more strict. Suppliers who fail to pass GAP certification will be eliminated from the international market and become the victims of international trade technical barriers.

Significance of implementation

　　1. GAP certification can improve the standardization level of agricultural production, improve the internal quality and safety level of agricultural products, and enhance consumer confidence.

　　2. After China's entry in the World Trade Organization, GAP certification has become an important condition for the import and export of agricultural products. The products that have passed the GAP certification will have stronger competitiveness in the domestic and foreign markets. GAP  permit the rational use of synthetic chemicals and their certification is widely recognized internationally. Therefore, GAP certification can implement agricultural standardization from the operational level, so as to improve the competitiveness of China's conventional agricultural products in the international market and promote the export of certified agricultural products.

　　3. The sales price of products certified by GAP is higher than that of non-certified products. Therefore, the added value of products can be improved by GAP certification, thus increasing the income of certified enterprises and producers.

　　4. Through GAP certification, it is beneficial to enhance the safety awareness and environmental protection awareness of producers, and to protect the health of workers.

　　5. Through GAP certification, it is beneficial to protect the ecological environment and increase the biodiversity of nature, which is conducive to the ecological balance of nature and the sustainable development of agriculture.