GOTS finds organic cotton fraud in India
02/11/2020
The body formerly known as the International Organic Accreditation Service (IOAS), an established accreditation body used by GOTS, detected evidence of fraud during its routine surveillance audits, GOTS said in a press release.
IOAS discovered false raw cotton transaction certificates, created by fraudsters using India’s governmental APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) templates with faked QR codes. Scanning said QR codes led users to a cloned APEDA website, intended to cloak the fraudulent transaction certificates with a veil of authenticity.
GOTS has so far discovered at least 20,000 tonnes of fake “organic cotton” in the country.
As a disciplinary measure, the organisation has issued 11 Indian companies with certification bans and has terminated its contract with one certification body.
GOTS said that all future raw material transaction certificates entering its supply chain will be scrutinised by GOTS itself for authenticity.
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