PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDA RD_Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
 Contents  1 
 2 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  1 3 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  2 4 
2 References  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  2 5 
3 Definition  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  2 6 
4 Recommended practices  ................................ ................................ .......................  6 7 
4.1 Site history and management ................................ ................................ .............  6 8 
4.2 Planting  material  ................................ ................................ ................................  7 9 
4.3 Soil and soil conservation  ................................ ................................ ..................  7 10 
4.4 Fertiliz ers and soil additives  ................................ ................................ ...............  8 11 
4.5 Water  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  9 12 
4.6 Crop protection  ................................ ................................ ................................ . 11 13 
4.7 Harvesting  and handli ng produce  ................................ ................................ ..... 15 14 
4.8 Transport  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  16 15 
4.9 Specific process steps  ................................ ................................ .....................  17 16 
4.10 Off-farm facility for produce handling and/or storage  ................................ ....... 18 17 
4.11 Personal hygiene and farm sanitation  ................................ ..............................  19 18 
4.12 Worker’s  health, safety  and welfare  ................................ ................................ .. 21 19 
4.13 Waste  management  and energy  efficien cy ................................ .......................  21 20 
4.14 Traceability  and recall  ................................ ................................ ......................  22 21 
4.15 Documentation and Record s ................................ ................................ ............  22 22 
4.16 Internal  self-Inspection  ................................ ................................ .....................  25 23 
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 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
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 Foreword  30 
 31 
In 2006,  the ASEAN  Member  States  prepared  and adop ted the ASEAN Good 32 
Agricultural Practices ( ASEAN GAP) which sets out the minimum requirements to  be 33 
applied  during the production, harvest ing, and postharvest handling  to ensure food 34 
safety and quality of fresh  fruits  and veget ables. Consequently, a Strategic Plan was 35 
developed for sustaining the immediate and long -term development and use of the 36 
ASEAN GAP standard.  37 
 38 
The ASEAN -German Cooperation Project on Standards for the Southeast Asian Food 39 
Trade (SAFT) supported the implementation of priority activities identified by Expert 40 
Working Group for ASEAN GAP, particularly the alignment of national standards with 41 
ASEAN GAP u sing an agreed tool. The Philippines was identified as the lead coun try for 42 
the regional initiative . 43 
 44 
The Technical Working Group (TWG)  that developed the Philippine Code of Good 45 
Agricultural Practices  (GAP)  was reconstituted  per Special Order No. 498 seri es of 2016  46 
to facilitate the review and revision of the standard to fully -align it with ASEAN GAP . The 47 
project is a collaborative effort of experts from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), 48 
Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Bureau of Soils and Water Ma nagement (BSWM), 49 
Fertilizer  and Pesticide Authority (FPA), University of the Philippines at Los Baños 50 
(UPLB), Central Luzon State University (CLSU) , Control Union Philippines, and Bureau 51 
of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS). The TWG, through several meetings, 52 
prepared the draft standard  for presentation on a public information forum  held in 53 
Quezon City (NCR)  in order to raise awareness of  stakeholders on the revisions , before 54 
the document was finalized and adopted as Philippine National Standards (PNS).  55 
 56 
The practices  in this Code  of GAP  are aimed towar ds prevention  and minim ization  of 57 
risk occurr ences  which  include  those  of food safety,  environmental impact,  worker  58 
health, safety  and welfare, and  product  quality  in the primary production and postha rvest 59 
handling of fresh produce intended for human consumption . It is envisioned  that 60 
compliance  of farmers  with this set of  practices will enhance the trade and 61 
competitiveness of the country’s agricultural products as well as promote consumer 62 
protection against  food safety hazards.  63 
 64 
Major modifications in this revision includes: i) adoption of some provisions of  ASEAN 65 
GAP; and ii) addition of new section on Documentation and Records.  66 
 67 
This standard cancels and replaces PNS/BAFPS 49:2011.  68 
 69 
 70 
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 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
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 1 Scope  75 
 76 
This standard code of practice covers  the general hygienic  practices for the production  77 
and  primary  processing  of  fre sh  fruits  and  vegetables  culti vated  for human 78 
consumption, particul arly those intended to  be con sumed raw.  Specifically, this code  is 79 
applicable to fresh fruits  and vegetables  that are  field-grown  with or without cover, or 80 
those grown under protected facilities  such as hydroponic systems or greenhouses.  81 
 82 
This standard  code  does  not apply  to production  of sprouts,  fresh cut products  and 83 
other products that  are covered by separate production  or certificat ion standards  84 
 85 
2        References  86 
 87 
The titles of the standards  publi cations  referred to in this standard  are listed  on the 88 
inside back  cover.  89 
 90 
3        Definitio ns 91 
 92 
For the purpose of  this standard, the  following terms  shall apply:  93 
 94 
3.1 agricultural  inputs  95 
any incoming  material  (e.g. seeds,  fertilizers,  water,  agricultural  chemical s, plant 96 
support, etc.)  used for  the primary produ ction of fresh fruits and vegetables  97 
 98 
3.2 agricultural worker 99 
any person  that undertakes  one or more  of the following:  cultiva tion, harvesting  and 100 
packing of fresh fruits and vegetables  101 
 102 
3.3 antimicrobial  agents  103 
any substance   of   natural,   synthetic   or   semi -synthe tic   origin   which   at   low 104 
concentr ations  kills or inhibits  the growth  of microorganism  but causes  little or no 105 
host damage  106 
 107 
3.4 biological control  108 
the use of competing  biologicals  (such  as insects,  microorganis ms and/or  microbial 109 
metabolite s) for the control of  mites,  pests, plant pathogen s and spoil age organisms  110 
 111 
3.5 biopesticide  112 
a pesticide  that is manufactured from biologi cal sources  113 
 114 
3.6 biosolids  115 
sludge and other residue deposits obtained f rom sewage treatment  plants  and from 116 
treatments  applied to  urban  and industrial  wastes  (food  industry or other  types  of 117 
industries)  118 
 119 
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 3.7 cleaning  121 
the removal of  soil, dirt,  grease or other foreign matter  122 
 123 
3.8 clean water 124 
water that does not compromise food saf ety in the circumstances of its use  125 
 126 
3.9 composting  127 
a managed  process  where  organic  materia ls are subjected  to moisture,  heat and 128 
microorganisms for a specified period to  produce a  product known as  compost  129 
 130 
3.10 contamination  131 
food  safety  context:  132 
the introduction  or transfer  of a food safety  hazard  to produce  or to the inputs  that 133 
contact  produce , such  as soil, water, chemicals, equip ment and people  134 
 135 
environmental  context:  136 
the introduction or occurrence of a hazard into the environment  137 
 138 
3.11 domestic  animals  139 
animals  that are raised  as family pets or as a source  of food for the family  – for 140 
example  dogs, cats,  cows, chickens, ducks, birds,  sheep, monkeys,  mice,  rabbits  141 
 142 
3.12 farm  animals  143 
animals  that are raised  for   agricultur al and commercial  purposes - for example, 144 
cows,  carabaos, sheep, chickens and ducks  145 
 146 
3.13 fertigation  147 
the application of nutr ients through irrigation  148 
 149 
3.14 fertilizer  150 
includes  any substance  – solid or liquid  – or any nutrient  element or  elements – organic  151 
or inorganic  – singly  or in combina tion with other  materials,  applied  directly to  the soil 152 
for the purpose  of promoting plant  growth,  increasing  crop yield or improving their 153 
quality  154 
 155 
3.15 FPA certified  pesticide  applicator  (Agricultural  catego ry) 156 
refers to one who has attended training  course and passed an examination administe red 157 
for such purpose of  safe use including s torage,  disposal of pe sticide by the  FPA 158 
 159 
3.16 food  safety  hazard  160 
any chemical,  biological  or physical  subst ance or property  that can cause  fruit and 161 
vegetables to  become an unaccep table health risk  to consumers  162 
 163 
 164 
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 3.17 fumigation  166 
the application  of a chemical  to control  pests  in the soil or substrate,  such  as insects, 167 
diseases and weeds  168 
 169 
3.18 hazard  170 
a biological,  chemical  or physical  agent  in, or condition  of, food with the potential  to 171 
cause an adverse health and environmental effect/s  172 
 173 
3.19 integrated pest mana gement  174 
a pest management approach that  uses all a vailable pest control methods including but  175 
not limited to  judicious u se of pesticides, to optimize a  crop’s ability to  resist  the pest with 176 
the least hazard to man and the environment  177 
 178 
3.20 manure  179 
animal  excrement  which  may be mixed  with litter or other  mater ial, and which  may be 180 
fermented or otherwise treated  181 
 182 
3.21 maturity  index  183 
a method used to  measure or predict the maturity of  fruit and vegetables  184 
 185 
3.22 maximum residue limit (MRL)  186 
the maximum concentrat ion of a pes ticide residue (expressed as mg/kg) recommended 187 
by either Codex Alimenta rius Commission or  national competent authority to be legally 188 
permitted in or on food commodities and animal feeds. MRLs  are based  on GAP  data 189 
and foods  derived  from commod ities that comply  with the  respective MRLs are intended 190 
to be toxi cologically acceptable.  191 
3.23 obsolete  chemical  192 
a chemical that is no longer  suitable for use.  For example approval for use of the 193 
chemical  may  be  withdrawn,  the  chemi cal  is  older  than  the  use  by  date,  the 194 
container may  be damaged ad the  chemical soiled  195 
 196 
3.24 organic  material  197 
a material originating from plants and  animals and not  from synthetic  sources  198 
 199 
3.25 packing  200 
the action  of putting  fresh  fruits  and vegetabl es in a package.  This may take place  in a 201 
field or in the establishment  202 
 203 
3.26 pest  204 
an unwan ted animal  or plant  that affects  the production,  quality  and safety  of fruit 205 
and vegetables – for example, insects,  diseases, weeds, rodents and birds  206 
 207 
 208 
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 3.27 pesticide  210 
any substanc e or product,  or mixture  thereof,  including  active  ingredients,  adjuvants 211 
and pesticide  formulations,  intended  to control,  prevent,  destroy,  repel  or mitigate  212 
directly  of indirectly,  any pest.  The term shall  be understood  to include  insecticide, 213 
fungicide , bactericide,  nematocide, herbicide, molluscicide, avicide, rodenticide, plant 214 
regulator, defoliant, desiccant and the  like 215 
 216 
3.28 pesticide  residue  217 
means any specified substan ce in food, agricultural commoditie s, or animal feed 218 
resulting  from  the  use  of  a  pesticide.    The  term  includes  any  derivatives  of  a 219 
pesticide,  such  as  conversion  products,  metabolites,  reaction  produ cts,  and 220 
impurities considered to be of  toxicological significan ce 221 
 222 
3.29 potable water  223 
water  that is suitable  for human  consu mption  as approved  by WHO  or equivalent 224 
regulations  225 
 226 
3.30 pre-harvest  Interval  (PHI)  227 
refers  to the number  of days  between  the last spraying  and harvest.   It  is derived 228 
from a supervised  pesticide  residue  trial where  the pesticide  is applied at  the 229 
recommended  rates  and the residue  levels  are analyzed. Each  pesticide  active 230 
ingredient or  AI has its  own PHI  231 
 232 
3.31 prima ry processing  233 
the part of a food processing  plant that receives  raw materials  and prepares  them  for 234 
further  processing, e.g.  by cleaning, milling or  separating  235 
 236 
3.32 re-entry period  237 
refers  to the period  of time immediately  following  the appli cation  of a pesticide  during 238 
which unprotected workers  should not enter a field  239 
 240 
3.33 risk  241 
the chance  of something  happening  that will impact  upon  a hazard  (for exam ple, 242 
food safety).  It is usually measu red in  terms  of likelihood and  consequences  243 
 244 
3.34 sanitize  245 
reducing  the  level  of  microorganisms  through  using  chemicals,  heat  and  other  246 
methods  247 
 248 
3.35 sensitive  areas  249 
areas  at high risk of environmental  harm  from chemicals,  water,  nutrients,  waste, 250 
and so on, originating  from property  activity.   Examples  include  biodi verse areas,  251 
other  crops,  livestock  areas,  water  sourses,  marine  areas,  wetlands,  native fauna 252 
and flora, soils, neighboring properties and public areas  253 
 254 
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 3.36 site  256 
a defined area on the property – for example, a  product ion site 257 
 258 
3.37 soil additives  259 
products  or materials  that are added  to the soil to improve  fertility, structure  or 260 
control  weeds.   Examples  are animal  manure,  sawdust,  compost,  seaweed,  fish- 261 
based products  262 
 263 
3.38 traceability  264 
the  ability  to  follow  the  movement  of  produce  through  the  specified  stages  of 265 
production  and distribution  266 
 267 
 268 
4        Recommended  practices  269 
 270 
4.1.    Site history  and management  271 
 272 
Suitabili ty of the agricultural  site for food production and prima ry processing  273 
 274 
4.1.1 Management of site activities conforms to country environmental legislation 275 
covering air, water, noise, soil, biodiversity and other environmental issues.  276 
 277 
4.1.2 In the ca se of new site(s), the risk of causing en vironmental harm within or outside 278 
the site should be assessed for the  proposed use. Risk  assessment  should con sider the 279 
prior use of the  site and potential impact  of adjacent sites to the new site(s).  280 
 281 
4.1.3 If res ults of the evalua tion of  the production or adjoining sites  lead to  the 282 
conclu sion that potential hazard exist, the  sites should be further evaluated through 283 
analy sis and characterization of  the identified  contaminants.  284 
 285 
4.1.4 If the contaminants are found  to be at  unacceptable levels, the  site should not be  286 
used  for production  and primary  processing until  corrective  or control  measures are 287 
carried out.  288 
 289 
4.1.5  Whenever remedial action is required to manage the risk, the action taken should  290 
be monitored  to ensure  that contamination  of the produ ce is eliminated  or kept 291 
within acceptable levels.  292 
 293 
Production  site and proper ty map 294 
 295 
4.1.6 A property  lay-out map within  the site should  be prepared  to indicate the locations 296 
of  the following:  297 
 298 
•    crop production area;  299 
•    primary processing area;  300  
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 • sources  of water  used  on the farm (well,  reservoir,  rivers,  lakes,  farm ponds, etc.) 301 
•    chemical pesticides and fertilizer storage and mixi ng areas;  302 
•    tools  and equipment cleaning and disinfection areas;  303 
•    storage area for tools and equipment;  304 
•    post-harvest chemical treatment area;  305 
•    water  storage,  distribution  networks,  drainage,  and discha rge points  of waste water;  306 
•    solid waste disposal a rea; 307 
•    composting areas;  308 
•    property buildings, structure s and road netw orks; 309 
•    toilet facilities and ha nd-washi ng areas; and  310 
•    environmentally sensitive and highly degraded areas (e.g.  saline/sodic soil)  311 
 312 
4.1.7 Each production area, in case of multiple p roduction a reas in a si te, should be 313 
identified by a  name or Code, and must be indicated in the prop erty map.   314 
 315 
4.2.    Planting  material  316 
 317 
Selection  of planting  materials considers soil and site suitabili ty/compatibili ty 318 
 319 
4.2.1 Aside from yield quantity and quality as b asic considerations, varieties to be grown 320 
should be selected based on market  requirements, grower preference and adaptability  321 
to the locality.  Other considerations may include soil type and nutrient levels,   water   322 
availability,   prevailing   temperatures   and   humidity,   insect   pest population  323 
dynamics,  and presence of inocula of major pathogens.  324 
 325 
4.2.2  For efficie nt chemical, water and other input utilization, planti ng materials may be 326 
selected based on their nutrient and water use efficiencies, and pests and diseases 327 
resistance.  328 
 329 
4.2.3 Crop  varieties/species  known to be toxic for human consumption are not grown . 330 
 331 
Source  of planting  material,  the necessa ry seed  treatments  and related 332 
documen ts 333 
 334 
4.2.4  The seed and planting materials should be of high quality. Sourcing and/or 335 
procure ment of seed and planting materials from the Accredited Seed Growers or Plant 336 
Nursery Operators are encouraged.  337 
 338 
4.3     Soil and soil conservation  339 
 340 
4.3.1 Recomme nded soil c onservation measures such as: minimum till age, contour 341 
planting, crop rotation, etc . should be integrated in the crop production practices in order 342 
to improve or maintain the soil structure and tilth, and minimize soil compaction and 343 
erosion.  344  
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 4.3.2 Use of crop suitability maps to plan  crop rotation and production programs  is 345 
encouraged . 346 
 347 
Use of soil fumigants to sterilize the soil  348 
 349 
4.3.3  The  use  of  chemical  fumiga nts  and  alternatives  to  sterilise  soils  a nd 350 
substrates  is justified . The farm should  not use banned  chemical fumigants and other 351 
practices not  allowed  under  country en vironmental legislations.  352 
 353 
4.4     Fertilizers  and soil additives  354 
 355 
4.4.1 To optimize nutrient use and minimize nu trient losses, the farm should apply 356 
fertilizers based on the quantitative informat ion on soil nutrient based on soil analy sis or 357 
leaf or sap a nalysis. 358 
 359 
4.4.2 Fertilizers  and soil additives  should  be judici ously selected  to minimize  the risk  360 
of contamination  of produce,  partic ularly with the heavy  metals. Only duly registered 361 
fertilizers (inorganic a nd bio/orga nic) should be used.  362 
 363 
4.4.3 In the c ase that potting mix (e.g. coco  peat,  peat moss,  rice hull, compost) is used 364 
in the farm, the name of the  source or supplier should be do cumente d. 365 
 366 
4.4.4 For hydroponic production systems, the mixing, application and disposal of the 367 
nutrient solution is mo nitored and recorded.  368 
 369 
Organic  fertilizer  370 
 371 
4.4.5 Composting areas should be separated  from the crop production area a nd from 372 
drinking and farm  water sources.  373 
 374 
4.4.6 Untreated  (undecomposed) organic  materials  must  not be applied  because  the 375 
presence of  potential contamin ants may affect  the produce. Organic  fertilizer materials 376 
should be treated prior to application . 377 
 378 
4.4.7  Production procedures, such as: composting, solarization, heat drying, etc., 379 
should be designed to reduce or elimina te pathogens in manu re, biosolids and other 380 
natural  fertilizers.   381 
 382 
Human  sewage 383 
 384 
4.4.8  Human  sewage  whether processed  or unprocessed  must  not be used  for 385 
production of  fresh  fruits and vegetables.  386 
 387 
 388 
 389 
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 Equipment  mainten ance 391 
 392 
4.4.9  Equipment used for the app lication of ferti lizers and soil ad ditives should be 393 
maintained in  good working condition  and should  be checked  regularly  by a technically 394 
competent person.   395 
 396 
Storage  facility  and management  397 
 398 
4.4.10  Areas  or  facilities  for  storage,  mixing  and  loadi ng  of  fertiliz ers  and  soil 399 
additives and for composting of organic mat erials should be constructed  as far away as 400 
possible  from the water source. These facilities  should be properly maintained to 401 
minimize the risk  of contam ination of  production areas and water  sources . 402 
 403 
4.4.11  For the storage  of fertilizer mater ials: 404 
 405 
 Storage  area must  be separa ted from other  agro-chemical  products  to prevent 406 
cross  contamination;  407 
 The storage  area should  be well-ventila ted and appropriately  covered  to protect 408 
inorga nic fertilizers,  such  as  powder,  granules  or liquids from sunlight,  rain, 409 
humidity, and other  atmospheric factors;  410 
 Storage  area should  be free from waste,  does  not constitute  a breeding  place  for 411 
rodents, and where spillage and l eakage is  easily cleared away;  412 
 All inorga nic fertilizers  should  be stored in a prescribed  manner to avoid  or 413 
minimize risk of contamination to water sources. For instance, liquid fertili zers must 414 
be bunded and proximity of water courses and flood risks, etc. should be considered; 415 
and 416 
 Fertilizers  shou ld  not  be  stored  with  harvested  crop  or  yield  and  plant 417 
propagation materials.  418 
 419 
4.4.12  The utilization  of inorganic  fertili zer should  observe  First-In First-Out practice 420 
(FIFO ). 421 
 422 
Disposal of left -over fertilizers, used  nutrient  solutions  and containers  423 
 424 
4.4.13  Leftover  fertilizers  and unused  nutrient  solutions,  if any, should  be properly 425 
disposed.  426 
 427 
4.4.14  Used  inorganic  fertilizer  containers  should  be  disposed  according  to 428 
approved label recommendations.  429 
 430 
4.5     Water  431 
 432 
Source of irriga tion water 433 
 434 
4.5.1 The risk of chemical  or biologi cal contamination  of produ ce from the water 435 
used  for  irrigation,  fertigation,  applicati on  of  chemicals,  washing,  treatments, 436  
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 cleaning, sanitation and other forms of  handling the produce should be as sessed. 437 
Particular  attention  should  be given especially  for those  crops  that are grown close to the 438 
ground. Moreover, the  proximity of water sources on possi ble sources of contamination 439 
(e.g. near the dumping s ite, near septic  tanks,  etc.) should be conside red during  440 
assessment.  441 
 442 
4.5.2 Where  water  testing  is required  to assess  the risk of contamination,  tests should  be 443 
conducted  at a frequency  appropria te to the degree of  potential risk  from the  water  444 
supply.  445 
 446 
4.5.3  Where the risk of chemical and biological  contamination of produce is signifi cant, 447 
an alternative  water  source should be  developed or  necessary water treatment should 448 
be done.  449 
 450 
Suitabili ty of water quality  for agricultural production  451 
 452 
4.5.4 Irrigation use is based on crop water requirements, wate r availability, soil moisture 453 
levels, and consideration of environmental impact on and off the site. Water  used  for  454 
agricultural  pu rposes  should  be  of  suitable  quality  for  its intended use.  455 
 456 
Quality  of water used  for fertilizer and pesticide app lication  457 
 458 
4.5.5 Water used for the application  of wat er-soluble fertilizers  and agricultural chemicals 459 
in the field or indoor growing fac ility should not contain microbial, chemical and  physi cal 460 
contaminants  at levels that may adversely  affect  the safety of fresh fruits  and 461 
vegetables.  462 
 463 
Efficiency  use and management of water 464 
 465 
4.5.6 Water collection, storage, delivery  and use should be managed.  466 
 467 
4.5.7 The irrigation system  is check ed for  operational efficiency during each use 468 
according to operator’s instruct ions or o ther appropriate methods and maintained to 469 
ensure efficient deli very. 470 
 471 
4.5.9 Water  from toilets  and drainage  systems  are disposed  of in a manner  that 472 
minimizes the  risk of health and e nvironmental harm on and off the site.  473 
 474 
4.5.10 Water  used from  sources that  may cause environmental harm to the land and soil, 475 
waterways and sensitive areas should  be managed or treated to minimize the risk of 476 
health and envi ronmental harm.  477 
 478 
Untreated se wage water  479 
 480 
4.5.11  Untreated sewage water should not be used for irrigation or fertigation. Whenever  481 
treated  sewage  water  is used,  water quality  should  comply  with the WHO 1989  482  
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 published  Guidelines  for  the  Safe  Use  of  Wastewater  and  Excreta  in Agriculture 483 
and Aquaculture, or the country’s  guidelines on the ma tter which is the Department of 484 
Environment and Natural Resources  (DENR) Clean Water Act, specifically  on use of 485 
waste water. Otherwise, untreated sewage water should not be used during production 486 
and pos tharvest handling of  produce.  487 
 488 
4.6 Crop  protection  489 
 490 
Choice  of crop  protection  products  491 
 492 
4.6.1 Crop protection measures  should be appropriate for the control of pests and based 493 
on the  approval of  the competent authority.  494 
 495 
4.6.2 Growers  should  u se  agricultural  che micals  that  are  registered  for  the 496 
cultivation of the specific  fruit or vegetable and procured from licensed su ppliers and 497 
approved  by the competent  autho rity in the country  where  the crop is grown  and in the 498 
country where the produce  is intended to be traded. The use of such agr icultural 499 
chemicals  must  be  in  accordance  with  the  approved  label  instructions  for  the 500 
intended purpose/s.  501 
 502 
4.6.3 If the choice of chemical products is made by adviser s, proof of their technical 503 
competence should be made available su ch as  certificates of tra inings, education, 504 
experience and accreditation from  competent authority.  505 
 506 
4.6.4 The expiry  dates  of the chemicals to  be procured should be  considered. The 507 
expiration date  is 2 years  after the formulation date indicated on the label.  508 
 509 
4.6.5  These should be  applied at approved  dosages to prevent residue le vels exceeding 510 
the maximum residue limits (MRLs).  511 
 512 
4.6.6 The produce  shall be subjected  to residue  analyses  to be conducted by an 513 
accredited laboratory.  514 
 515 
4.6.7 Up to date information on chemical MRL standar ds for the country where produce 516 
is intended to be traded, is available from a competent authority.  517 
 518 
4.6.8  If chemical residues in excess of the MRL are detected in the country where 519 
produce is traded, marketing of the produce is ceased. The cause of the c ontamination is 520 
investigated, corrective actions are taken to prevent re -occurrence, and a record is kept 521 
of the incident and actions taken.  522 
 523 
Mixing of crop protection products  524 
 525 
4.6.9 The mixing area should be located and cho sen in such a way that the risk  of 526 
contaminating the  workers and t he environment are minimized.  527 
 528  
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
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 4.6.10 Mixing of  agricultural chemicals  should  be carried o ut in a manner that  will 529 
prevent ground and surface water contamination and the land in the surrounding areas.  530 
 531 
4.6.11 The  filli ng  and  mixing  areas  for  the  crop  protect ion  product  should  be 532 
equipped with appropriate tools for  precise measurements and  calibrations. The 533 
functionality of such should be checked before every cropping sea son by the 534 
grower/ap plicator.   The  filling and mixing  areas should  have  floor brush,  dustpan, 535 
plastic  bags  and adsorbent  materials  such  as sand.   These  materials  should  be placed 536 
in a fixed loca tion within the specific  area, to be used in case of spillage of crop 537 
protection produ ct. 538 
 539 
4.6.12 Emer gency  facilities  in the event  of acciden tal spill during  mixing  should  be 540 
readily available.  541 
 542 
4.6.13 Prepare  only the necessary  volume  of spray  solution  to avoid  surplus application  543 
mix. 544 
 545 
4.6.14 Surplus application mixes are disposed of in a manner that do es not present a 546 
risk of contaminating the produce.  547 
 548 
Application  of crop  protection  products  549 
 550 
4.6.15 The person  responsible  for application  should  be technically  competent.  He 551 
should  possess the relevant  trainings  and experienc e, education  or preferably  be 552 
duly accredited as  such by  a competent authority (e.g.  FPA).  553 
 554 
4.6.16 The  Integrated  Pesticide  Management  (IPM)  principles  and  techniques 555 
should be used whenever possible to minimize the use of pesticides. A rotation strategy  556 
for chemical applicati on and other  crop protection  measures  should  be employed  to 557 
avoid  the develop ment of pest resistance,  i.e. use different chemical groupings  (e.g. 558 
organopho sphates, synthetic pyrethroids, carbamates, etc.) of pesticides.  559 
 560 
4.6.17 The tank mixing  of more  than two (2) chemicals  should  be avoided,  unless 561 
recommended by  FPA,  or speci fied in the product label.  562 
 563 
4.6.18 Growers/appli cators  should  observe  established Pre-harvest  Intervals  (PHIs)  564 
or the period between chemical  appli cation and harvest.  565 
 566 
4.6.19 Appropri ate warning  signs  should  be placed on a newly  applied or is being 567 
applied area.  568 
 569 
4.6.20 Workers  should  use well-maintained  protective  clothing  during  applicatio ns and 570 
obser ve established Re -entry Periods.  571 
 572 
4.6.21 Ground  or aerial  application  of chemi cals should  be managed  appropriately to 573 
minimize the risk of spray drift to neighboring p roperties and environmentally sensitive 574  
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
13 
 areas.  In such cases,  areas applied wi th pesticides should be  marked with appropriate 575 
warning signs for  public safety.  576 
 577 
Safe ty and Welfare  of Authorized  Worker/s  during  Application  578 
 579 
4.6.22 Authorized  farm workers  should  be trained  on the proper  handling  (e. g. 580 
application)  of crop protection products. (for TWG discussions).  581 
 582 
4.6.23 Material  safety  data sheets  (MSDS)  or safety  instructi ons from approved 583 
labels should be made readily available for  reference.  584 
 585 
4.6.24 First aid facilities  (e.g. kits) should  be readily available to treat workers  of 586 
minor cuts and brui ses and those that  have been accidentally  contaminated with 587 
chemicals  prior to medical  attention/treatment in  a hospital.  588 
 589 
4.6.25 First-aid  and  emergency  instructions  should  be  documented  and 590 
conspicuously displayed in  strategic locations.  591 
 592 
4.6.26 Authorized  workers  who are directly  handling  and applying  chemicals  shou ld 593 
undergo p re-employment, periodic/annual and e xit medical chec k-up to ensure their 594 
health  and welfare.  595 
 596 
Storage  of crop  protection  products  597 
 598 
4.6.27 The crop protection  product  storage  facility  should  comply  with all the 599 
appropriate  national  or local regulati ons. It must  have  non-abso rbent shelves such as 600 
metal or rigid pla stic material to minimize the prob lem of contamination due to spillage.  601 
 602 
4.6.28 Chemicals  should  be stored  in a well-lighted,  sound  and secure  structure, 603 
with  acce ss  limited  to  the  authorized  pe rsonnel  only.    The  structure  should  be 604 
located and constructed to minimize the risk of contaminating produce and should be 605 
equipped with emergency facilities  in the event of a chemical  spill, fire and other natural 606 
or man -made calamities.  607 
 608 
4.6.29   Crop  protection  products  should  be  stored  in  the ir  original  container  with 609 
legible labels.  610 
 611 
4.6.30 Proper  segregation  in the storage  of crop protection  products   should be 612 
observed.  613 
 614 
Maintenance  and storage  of equipment  615 
 616 
4.6.31  Equipment  used  for  chemical  applica tion  should  be  maintained  in  good 617 
working  condition.  Such  equipment  should  be checked by a technically  competent 618 
person before each use.  619 
 620  
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
14 
 4.6.32  Agricultural chemical sprayers should be calibrated as necessary, to maintain  the  621 
precision  of  the  applica tion  rate.     622 
 623 
4.6.33  Mixing con tainers, sprayers and other  equipment and tools used for chemical 624 
applications  should  be  thoroughly  washed  after  use,  especially  when  used  with 625 
different  agricultural chemicals on d ifferent crops, i. e. to avoid contamination of  the 626 
produce or damaging the crop.  Washings  should be  contained for  proper disposal.  627 
 628 
4.6.34  Protective  clothing  should  be separately  washed  from other  clothings  and 629 
stored properly for future use.  630 
 631 
Disposal  of crop  protection  products  and other  contaminated  wastes  632 
 633 
4.6.3 5 Empty chemical containers should not be re -used and should  be safely secured 634 
until these are di sposed. Empty containers should never be used for food and drink - 635 
related purposes.  636 
 637 
4.6.3 6 Empt y chemical containers are disposed of according to relevant country 638 
regulations and in a manner that minimizes the risk of contaminating produce. Official 639 
collection and disposal systems are used where available.  640 
 641 
4.6.37  Crop  protection  product  containers  should  be rinsed  three  (3) times  prior to 642 
disposal and should be disposed  according to  label directions.  643 
 644 
4.6.38  Expired  or banned  chemical  should  never be used  for crop protection purposes.  645 
Obsolete  chemicals  are disposed  of through  official  collection  systems  or in legal off - 646 
site areas.  647 
 648 
4.6.39  Tank  washings  should  be disposed  appropriately  to avoid  contamination  of the 649 
produce and minimize the risk of  environmental harm within and outside the site.  650 
 651 
4.6.40  All pesticide -contaminated wastes shall  be dispo sed in a designated sanitary 652 
landfill, if  available.  653 
 654 
4.6.41  Fuels,  oils  and  other  unusable  non-agri-chemicals  should  be  disposed 655 
properly to avoid the risk of  contaminating the produce.  656 
 657 
Environmental  safety  658 
 659 
4.6.42  To prevent  possible  ecological  imbalan ce, growers should u se biological controls  660 
that are authorized  for the cultivation of  specific  fruit or vegetable  and should be used in 661 
accordan ce with the approved instr uctions for  the intended purpo se/s. 662 
 663 
4.6.43  Farm activities comply with country  regulations covering protected plant and 664 
animal species to ensure that protected species are not damaged.  665 
 666  
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
15 
 4.6.44  To conserve native plant and animal species, access and activity is managed in 667 
significant remnant native vegetation areas, wildlife corridor s, and vegetation areas on 668 
and near the banks of waterways.  669 
 670 
4.6.45  Measures are used to control feral animals and environmental pests.  671 
 672 
4.6.46  The generation of offensive odour, smoke, dust, and noise  is managed to 673 
minimise the impact on neighbouring prop erties.  674 
 675 
4.7     Harvesting  and handling  produce From  harvest  to storage  prior  to transport  676 
 677 
a. Harvesting  678 
 679 
4.7.1 Practices that are critical to managing produce safety and quality during 680 
production, harvesting and postharvest handling are identified for the  crop grown.  681 
 682 
4.7.2 Appropria te maturity indi ces should be  the bases in determining the  harvest time.  683 
 684 
4.7.3 Appropria te  harvesting  technique  should  be  employed  in  harvesting  to 685 
optimize the quality and other  desired characteristics of  produce duri ng harvest or 686 
postharvest  phases.  687 
4.7.4 Harvesting  time should  be done  in accordance  to commodity requirements.  688 
Harvesting un der the rain should be avoided. Fresh fruits and vegetables that are unfit 689 
for human consumption should be seg regated during harves ting. Those which cannot be 690 
made safe by further processing  should be disposed properly to avoid contamination of  691 
the uncontaminated produce.  692 
 693 
4.7.5 Containers  used  for  harvesting  should  be  suitable  and  clean  before  use. 694 
Liners  should  be used  to protect  the produce,  particularly  when  containers  have 695 
rough surfaces.  696 
 697 
4.7.6 If the cont ainers are recycled, these  should be properly cleaned or discarded 698 
accordingly  if found unfit for  use. 699 
 700 
4.7.7  Harvested  produce  should  not be placed  in direct  contact  with the soil or floor in  701 
the handling, packing or  storage areas.  702 
 703 
b.   Packaging  704 
 705 
4.7.8 Produce should be graded and packed acc ording to  market  requirements.  706 
 707 
4.7.9 When pac king of fresh fruits and vegetables  is done  in the field,  contaminat ed 708 
containers  or bins exposed  to the sources  of contaminants (i.e. manure) should be 709 
avoided.  710 
 711  
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
16 
 4.7.10  Protective materials should be used w henever appropriate to protect the produce  712 
from rough  surfaces  of  containers  and  exposure  to  sunlight  leading  to excessive  713 
moisture  loss. 714 
 715 
c.   Pre-transport  716 
 717 
4.7.11 Harvested  produce  should  be placed  under shade  or any cove red area if 718 
transport is delayed.  719 
 720 
4.7.12 Any ice used  for pre-cooling  the produce  and used  at point  of harvest  must be  721 
made  with  potable  water  and hand led  under sanitary conditions to prevent produce 722 
contamination.  723 
 724 
4.7.13 After  grading and classification,  the produce  should  be packed  in suitable 725 
containers. To minimize  mechanical  damage,  packed  containers  should  not be stacked 726 
on top of  each other unle ss the containers are designed for  stacking.  727 
 728 
4.7.14 If the harvested  and packed  produce  stored  on farm,  storage  areas  must  be 729 
clean  and, if applicable,  temperature  and humidity  controls  are maintained.  730 
 731 
4.7.15  Produce  that are packed  and handled  directly  in the field,  orchard  or 732 
greenhou ses must be removed from the fie ld and transported to the processing area as  733 
quickly as  possible in  order to  prevent post -harvest  losses  and contamination.  734 
 735 
4.8 Transport  736 
 737 
4.8.1 All field -packed produce must be cove red duri ng transport in order to prevent 738 
contamination.  739 
 740 
4.8.2 Refrigerated transport  vehicles  should  be covered  with temperature  settings that  741 
will minimize qu ality loss of  the produc e. 742 
 743 
4.8.3 Containers filled with produce are not placed in direct contact with s oil where there 744 
is a significant risk of contaminating produce from soil on the bottom of containers.  745 
 746 
4.8.4 Pallets and transport vehic les should be  checked befo re use for cleanlines s, 747 
chemical  spills, foreign  objects  and pest infestation. Pallets  should  be thoroughly 748 
cleaned  and covered  with protective  mater ial or rejected  if there  is a signifi cant risk of 749 
contam inating produce. Transport vehicles should be cleaned if there is a signifi cant risk 750 
of mechanic al damage and conta minating produce.  751 
 752 
4.8.5 Produ ce  should  be  transported  separate ly  from  goods  that  are  potential 753 
sources of chemical conta mination  and causes  of biologi cal and physical  hazards. 754 
Moreover, mixing of non -compatible produ ce during transport should be avoided.  755 
 756  
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
17 
 4.8.6 For  long  del ays  before  transport,  produce  should  be  kept  at  the  lowest 757 
possible temperature condition.  758 
 759 
4.8.7 When  farm vehicle u sed for transporting  harvested  produce  are also used  for other 760 
purposes, it should be cleaned prior to hauling to avoid contaminat ion of the produce.  761 
 762 
4.9   Specific  process  steps  763 
 764 
Post -harvest washing  765 
 766 
4.9.1  Whenever required, the produce should be treated wi th approved protocols to 767 
minimize disease development and loss of  quality.  768 
 769 
4.9.2  Water  used  for washing  the produce  should  be analyzed at least  annuall y. 770 
The levels of  water quality parameters should be maintained within accep ted WHO 771 
thresholds or are accepted as safe for the food industry by the competent authority.  772 
 773 
4.9.3  The water to be used for final washing of the edible  parts of produce should have 774 
quali ty equivalent to potable water s tandard, although clean water can be used for  the 775 
initial was hings. 776 
 777 
4.9.4  Where appropriate, the temperature of the post -harvest water should be controlled  778 
and monitored.  The temperature monitoring rec ord is kept for traceability.  779 
 780 
4.9.5  Ice to be used for cooling purpo ses should be made from potable water. The 781 
production,  handling and storage of ice f or postharvest purposes should follow 782 
appropriate safeguards to  avoid contamination.  783 
 784 
4.9.6  In the case  that water  is re-circul ated or recycled for  final washing of  the produce, 785 
proper filtering  and disinfection  process  should  be done.  The pH and microbial load 786 
should be rou tinely monitored. A rout ine cleaning schedule according to the usage  787 
should be maintained and do cumented.  788 
 789 
4.9.7  Post-harvest  systems  that use water  for washing the  produce  should  be designed 790 
in a manner that  minimiz es product lodges and  dirt build up.  791 
 792 
Postharvest  treatment  793 
 794 
4.9.8  Anti-microbial agents should only be  used when absolutely necessary to minimize 795 
cross -contamination during post harvest and when used for good hygienic practices.   796 
The level of anti-microbial  agents  should  be monitored  and controlled. Washing  of 797 
fruits  and vegetables  should  be done  to ensure  that chemical  residues do not ex ceed 798 
levels as recommended by the  Codex  Alimentarius Commission.  799 
 800 
4.9.9  The farm should only use approved and registered materials for postharvest 801 
treatments such as waxes,  pesticides to include fungicides, and GRAS (Generally 802  
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
18 
 Regarded  as Safe)  chemicals.   Postharvest  treatment  materials  should  be carried out  803 
in accordance with  label instructions.  804 
 805 
4.9.10  Sprayers  for postharvest  treatments  should  be calibrated  regularly  to control the  806 
accuracy  of the application  rate.    Af ter  use,  sprayers  should  be  thoroughly 807 
washed in safe areas, particularly when different chemicals are used to avoid 808 
contamination of  the produce.  809 
 810 
Cooling s ystem of fr esh fruits  and vegetables  811 
 812 
4.9.11  When  pre-cooling  is required,  it should  be done  in accordance  to the 813 
requirements  of specific  fresh  fruit(s)  or vegetable(s). When  appropriate,  fresh  fruits and  814 
vegetables should be  maintained at  low temperatures  after pre-cooling to minimize 815 
microbial g rowth.  The temperature of the  cold storage should be controlled and 816 
monitored.  817 
 818 
4.9.12   Condensate  and defrost  water  from evaporator  type cooling systems  (e.g. 819 
vacuum cooling, cold rooms) should not dr ip onto fresh f ruits and vegetables.  The inner  820 
side of the cooling systems should always be clean.  821 
 822 
4.9.13  Potable  water  should  be used  in cooling  systems,  particularly  when water  or ice  823 
is in direct  contact  with  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables  (e.g.  hydro -cooling,  ice - 824 
cooling).  The water  quality in  these systems  should be  controlled and  maintained.  825 
 826 
4.9.14   Forced -air cooling  involves  the use of rapid movement  of refrigerated  air over 827 
fresh  fruits  and vegetables  in cold rooms.   Air-cooling systems  should be appropriately   828 
designed   and   maintained   to   preserve   quality   and   to   avoid cont aminating the 829 
fresh produce.  830 
 831 
4.10   Off-farm  facility  for produce  handling  and/or  stora ge 832 
 833 
4.10.1  Floors  should  be designed  with appropri ate slopes,  drainage  channels  and 834 
kept free and clear to ensure  good  drainage  system.  835 
 836 
4.10.2 Produce  handling  facilities and equipme nt such  as process  lines and 837 
machinery,  floors,  storage  areas,  pallets  as  well  as  floors  and  walls  should  be 838 
cleaned and/or maintained reg ularly to prevent contamination.  839 
 840 
4.10.3 Rejected  produce  and waste  material  should  be disposed  properly  in 841 
designated areas  to prevent  contaminati on of the produce.   842 
 843 
4.10.4  Cleaning  agents,  lubricants,  etc. should  be kept in a designated  area that is 844 
separate and apart from  packing area to  avoid chemical contamination of  produce.  845 
 846 
4.10.5  Domestic  animals  should  not be allowed  to enter  processing  facilities  to 847 
prevent contaminati on of the produce.  848  
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
19 
 4.10.6  There must be monitoring and management  systems f or pest control to avoid or 849 
minimize pest infestation.  Traps and baits should be identif ied in the  building lay out  850 
map.  851 
 852 
4.11   Personal hygiene and farm sanitation  853 
 854 
Personal  Hygiene  855 
 856 
4.11.1  Workers  should  have appropriate  knowledge  or must  be trained  in personal 857 
hygiene practices.   858 
 859 
4.11.2 Farm  workers  should  comply  with farm hygiene  regulations  such  as 860 
observan ce of personal cleanliness and app ropriate  clothing (i.e.  hand washing, wearing 861 
of jewelry and fingernail length and c leaning, etc) and personal beh avior (i.e. no  862 
smoking, spiting, eating,  chewing, etc).  863 
 864 
4.11.3  Written  instruction s on personal  hygiene practices  should  be provided  to 865 
workers or displayed on prominent locations.  866 
 867 
4.11.4  Fixed  or mobile  toilets and hand washing  facilities  should be available and 868 
accessible  to the workers  and should  be properly maintained in good hygi enic condition.  869 
These should be located in an appropriate area.  870 
 871 
4.11.5  Where employers are required to provide medical and h ealth cover, any serious 872 
health issue is reported to the relevant health authority.  873 
 874 
Farm  Sanitation  875 
 876 
4.11.6   Measures  should  be taken  in order  to ensure that the cultivation  area is free from  877 
poss ible sources  of contam ination (e.g.  litter,  etc.).  878 
 879 
4.11.7   Packing,  handling  and storage areas  that can be sources  of contamination 880 
should  be identified.  Clean ing and sanitation  procedures  should  be prepared and 881 
followed.  882 
 883 
4.11.8 Appropriate cleaning and sanitation chemicals are selected to minimise the risk of 884 
these chemicals causing contamination of produce.  885 
 886 
Equipment,  contain ers and materials  887 
 888 
4.11.9   Containers  used  for harvesting,  handling  and packing  produce  must  never be  889 
used for  hauling or  storing agricultural  chemicals, lubri cants, oil, cleani ng chemicals, 890 
plant or  other  debris, tools,  etc. 891 
 892 
4.11.10  Equipment,  reusable  harvesting  containers,  harvesting  tools  that comes  in 893 
contact w ith fresh fruits and vegetables a re made of non -toxic materials, easily cleaned  894  
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
20 
 and disinfected.  These  implements  and the farm vehicle  should  be regularly  maintained 895 
at least once a year .  896 
 897 
4.11.11 Equipment,  containers  and materials  should  be stored  in a separat e area away  898 
from chemical s, fertilizers  and soil additives  storage  areas.  Measures  should be taken 899 
to minimize contamination from  pests.  900 
 901 
4.11.12 Containers  for waste,  by-products  and inedible  or dangerous  substances 902 
should be specifically  identifia ble, sui tably constructed and, where appropriate, made of  903 
impervious  material.   Where  applicable,  such  containe rs should  be lockable  to prevent 904 
malicious or acciden tal contamination of  fresh fruits and vege tables or agricultural inputs.  905 
Such containers s hould  be segregated and id entified so that they will not  be used as  906 
harvesting containers.  907 
 908 
Buildings  and Structures  909 
 910 
4.11.13  Building  and structures  used  for production,  packing,  handling  and storage of 911 
produce should be designed  and constructed accordin g to building standards and 912 
maintained  to minimize  the risk of contaminating  the produce.  Lights  bulbs  should be  913 
shatter  proof  in areas  where  produ ce, packing  containers  and  materials  are 914 
exposed.   In the event of bulb sh attering, expo sed produ ce is rej ected while equipment,  915 
packing containers a nd materials are cleaned.  916 
 917 
4.11.14 There should be a separate designated packing area, where the produce are 918 
handled and prepared to prevent cross -contamination . 919 
 920 
4.11.15 Sewage, waste disposal and drainage system s are constructed to minimize the 921 
risk of contaminating the production site and water supply.  922 
 923 
Animals,  Pest  and Disease  Control 924 
 925 
4.11.16  Except for fruit bearing trees,  domestic  and farm animals  must  be restricted from 926 
the production site and  from areas w here produce are harvested, packed and 927 
temporarily held.  928 
 929 
4.11.17 Measures should be  taken  to prevent  the introduction  of pests  and diseases 930 
within the cultivation, handling, packing and storage  areas.  931 
 932 
4.11.18 Baits and traps used for pest control  should be positioned and maintained in 933 
strategic  areas  to minimize  the risk of contaminating  the produ ce, packing c ontainers 934 
and other  handling materials.  The location  of baits  and traps  should  be included  in the  935 
building lay out  map.  936 
 937 
 938 
 939 
 940  
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
21 
 4.12   Worker’s health,  safety and welfare  941 
 942 
Training  943 
 944 
4.12.1  Employers  and workers must  have  appropriate  knowledge  or must  have 945 
proper training on t heir areas of responsibili ty that are relevant to good agricultural 946 
practice.  947 
 948 
4.12.2   Based  on the area of responsibility  of the workers,  appropriate  knowledge  or 949 
training should be a vailable on  the following areas:  950 
 951 
•    vehicles, equipment and tool  operation;  952 
•    accident and emergency procedures;  953 
•    safe use of  chemicals;  954 
•    personal hygiene; and  955 
•    proper handling of  produce.  956 
 957 
4.12.3   Personnel  working  in  packing  houses  should  be  able  to  practice  good 958 
handling practices and Good Hygienic Practices (GH P); and aware of their role a nd 959 
responsibility in protecting fresh fruits  and vegetables from contamination and 960 
deteriorati on.   Packers  should  have the necessary  knowl edge and skills  to enable 961 
them  to perform  pack ing operations  and to handle  fresh  fruits  and vegetables  in a 962 
way that  the potential for  microbial, chemical  and physical  contamination  are minimized.  963 
 964 
4.12.4 There  are  documented,  understandable  and  verbally  communicated 965 
instructions made to the workers  enabling  them  to know  how to act in accident  and 966 
emergency  situations.   These  instructions  should  be available  in the predominant 967 
languages of  the workforce and should be  displayed in  conspicuous places.  968 
 969 
4.12.5 Safe manual handling practices are followed to minimise the risk of injury from 970 
lifting heavy objects and excessive twisting and reaching movements.  971 
  972 
4.12.6  New workers  should  be informed  about the risks associated  with health  and 973 
safety when starting at the worksite.   974 
 975 
Worker welfare  976 
 977 
4.12.7  In case  living  quarters  are provided  by an employer,  the structure  must  be 978 
suitable for  human habitation and contain basic services and facilities.  979 
 980 
4.12.8  The farm  should employ workers at least 18 years old.  981 
 982 
4.13     Waste  management  and ener gy efficiency  983 
 984 
4.13.1  A farm should  have  an operational  waste  management  plan and should  be 985 
properly  foll owed.  986  
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
22 
    987 
4.13.2  Consumption  of electricity  and fuel should  be monitored  and reviewed  for 988 
efficient and optimized operation in which p ower and fuel  bills may  be of assistance.  989 
 990 
4.13.3 Machinery  and equipment  should  be serviced  to maintain  operational 991 
efficiency.  992 
 993 
4.14     Traceability  and recall  994 
 995 
4.14.1  Reco rds of production,  processing  and distribution  should  be maintained  for two 996 
(2) years to facilitate a food borne  illness investigation and recall, if any.  997 
 998 
4.14.2  Growers  and/or  packers  should  always  update  all relevant  information  on 999 
agricultural  activit ies such  as the site of  production,  suppliers’  information  on agricultural 1000  
inputs, lot  numbers of  agricult ural inputs, irrigation practices, use of agricultural 1001  
chemical s, water quality data, pest control and cleaning schedules for indoor 1002  
establishments, p remises, fa cilities, equipment and contai ners. 1003  
 1004  
4.14.3  A record  should  also be kept on the following  specifics:  date of supply, 1005  
quantity of produce and de stination for each consignm ent of produce.  1006  
 1007  
4.14.4 Growers  and packers should  have  programs  to ensure  effective  lot 1008  
identification.   These  programs should  be able to trace  the sites and agricultural inputs 1009  
involved in primary p roduction and the origin of  incoming material at the packing 1010  
establishment in case of  suspected contamination.  1011  
 1012  
4.14.5  Packed  containers  must  be clearly  labeled  with an identification  to enable 1013  
traceability of  the produce to  the farm or site where the produce is grown.  1014  
 1015  
4.14.6 When produce is identified as being contaminated or potentially contaminated, the 1016  
produce is isolated and distribution prevented or if sold, the buyer is immediately notified.  1017  
 1018  
4.14.7 The cause of any contamination is investigated and corrective actions are taken 1019  
to prevent re -occurrence and a record is kept of the incident and actions taken.  1020  
 1021  
4.15 Documentati on and Records  1022  
 1023  
Site history and management  1024  
 1025  
4.15.1 In case of new sites, a record should  be kept for all potential hazards  identified 1026  
during the assessment. Whenever remedial action is required to manage the risk, a 1027  
record should be kept on the action tak en and the results thereof.  1028  
 1029  
4.15.2 In case of multiple p roduction a reas in a si te, the name or code of each 1030  
production area should be indicated  in all documents  and recorded.  1031   
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
23 
 Planting material  1032  
 1033  
4.15.3  Whenever a planting material is p roduced within the fa rm or from non - accredited  1034  
farm sources,  chemical  used  for treatment  and purpo se of the treatment should  be 1035  
documented.  1036  
 1037  
4.15.4 In case planting materials are procu red from accredited nurseries or seed 1038  
producer, the name and specifi cs of the cultivar, the name of the supplier, and the date 1039  
of procurement  should be record.  1040  
 1041  
Fertilizers and soil additives  1042  
 1043  
4.15.5   A record  of fertilizers  and soil additives  obtained  should be kept with the 1044  
following specifics: source, product  name, and date and quantity obtain ed. 1045  
 1046  
4.15. 6  The appli cation  of fertilizers  and soil additives, chemical fumigants and 1047  
alternatives to sterilise soils and substrates  should  be recorded,  detaili ng the  following:  1048  
date,  name  of the product  or material used,  treatment  location, application  rate, 1049  
application  method,  and operator name.  1050  
 1051  
4.15. 7  Records  of  procurement,  inventory  and  utilization  of  inorganic  fertilizers 1052  
should be maintained and upda ted regularly.  These should include: source, product 1053  
name, date and q uantity, expi ration da te (for liquid  fertilizers) and the nutrient 1054  
composition of the materials.  1055  
 1056  
4.15.8 Treatment  of organic  fertilizer materials prior to application should be  1057  
documented. The method, date and duration of the treatment should be recorded. The  1058  
level of  pathogen  reduction (E.coli  and Salmonella  should  be zer o) achieved by different 1059  
treatments  should be documented and supported by laboratory analyses.  1060  
 1061  
4.15.9 The farm should maintain a  documented maintenance program for the equipment 1062  
used for the application of fe rtilizers and soil additives.  1063  
 1064  
Water  1065  
 1066  
4.15.10 A documentation should  be  kept for any occurrence  of significant hazards 1067  
during the assessment of source of irrigation water. If  contaminat ion  occurs,  corrective  1068  
actions  should  be carried out and action s taken should be properly documented.  1069  
 1070  
4.15.11  Where available, a record of the water testing results should be kept.  1071  
 1072  
4.15.12 If water treatment is done, a record of the treatment method/s used and the 1073  
monitoring results should be kept.  1074  
 1075   
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
24 
 4.15.13  A record  is kept of irrigation  use, detailing crop,  date,  locatio n, volume  of 1076  
water applied or duration of  irrigation,  unit area, and name of  person who managed the  1077  
irrigation activity.  1078  
 1079  
Crop protection  1080  
 1081  
4.15.14   A record  of procured  chemicals  should  be kept,  with the following  details: 1082  
chemical  name,  supplier  of  the  chemical,  date  of  p urchase,  expiry  dates,  and 1083  
quantity procured.  1084  
 1085  
4.15.15  After application, the following  should  be recorded:  name  of appli cator, name of  1086  
product/s  used,  application rate, f requency of  application, method of  applica tion, date of 1087  
application  and PHI. 1088  
 1089  
4.15.16 If chemical residues in excess of the MRL are detected, the cause of the 1090  
contamination is investigated, corrective actions are taken to prevent re -occurrence, and 1091  
a recor d is kept of the incident and actions taken.  1092  
4.15.17  In order to avoid expired chemi cals, a record  or inventory  of stored  chemicals 1093  
should be kept with the following details: chemical name,  date and quantity obtained, 1094  
expiry date  and date  when co mpletely u sed or  disposed of.  1095  
 1096  
4.15.18  Records  of  maintenance  and  calibrati on activities for agricultural chemical 1097  
sprayers should be kept. 1098  
 1099  
4.15.19  The records must  always be accessible during inspection of  the farm.  1100  
 1101  
Harvest  and Postharvest treatment  1102  
 1103  
4.15.20  If applicable, farm storage areas temperature and humidity are recorded.  1104  
 1105  
4.15.21  Application  of postharvest  agrichemical  should  be recorded  and maintained 1106  
with the followi ng information:  1107  
 1108  
•    produce identity  (i.e. lot or batch of produce)  1109  
•    locatio n of application  1110  
•    application  dates  1111  
•    pest or disease treated (common name)  1112  
•    type of treatment  1113  
•    product trade  name/formulation  1114  
•    product quantity applied  1115  
•    operator’s name  1116  
 1117  
4.15.22  Documented records should be kept for the cleaning and  maintenance of 1118  
produce handling facilities and equipment . 1119  
 1120   
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
25 
 Animals, Pest and Disease Control  1121  
 1122  
4.15.23  Actions taken for animal, pest and disease control and monitoring must be 1123  
recorded.  1124  
 1125  
Workers’ health, safety and welfare  1126  
 1127  
4.15.24 A record of  personnel o rientation training on personal hygiene practices, risks 1128  
associated with and health safety, and programs relevant to good agricultural practices 1129  
should be kept.  1130  
 1131  
4.15.25   Records should indicate that  the requi red in structions or training program are in  1132  
place  and  copies  of  attendance  certificates  or  a  signed  list  of  workers  who 1133  
attended the training course(s) must  be compiled.  1134  
 1135  
Waste management  1136  
 1137  
4.15.26 Disposal of rejected produce and waste materials should have documented 1138  
records.  1139  
 1140  
4.15.27  Farm waste management plan should be properly documented  including  the: 1141  
types  of  waste products generated by property activities, p ractices to minimize waste 1142  
generation, reuse or recycling of  waste, and storage and disposal of  waste.  1143  
 1144  
4.15.28 Out of date do cuments are disposed and only current versions of documents 1145  
relevant to good agricultural practice are used.  1146  
 1147  
4.15.29  Written and/or documentary accounts should be kept which enables the official 1148  
or officially recognized certification body/authority to tra ce the origin, nature and quatities 1149  
of all raw materials bought and the use of such materials. In addition, written and/or 1150  
documentary account should be kept of the nature, quantities, and consignees of all 1151  
agricultural products sold. Quantities sold direc tly to the final consumers should 1152  
preferably accounted on a daily basis.  1153  
 1154  
4.16     Internal  self-Inspection  1155  
 1156  
4.16.1  The grower  should  conduct  a documented  annual  internal  self-inspection. 1157  
Effective  corrective actions should be  implemented if  necessary.  1158  
 1159  
 1160  
 1161  
 1162  
 1163  
 1164  
 1165  
 1166   
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
26 
 References                                                                                  1167  
 1168  
The following referenced documents are ind ispen sable for the application of this 1169  
document. For undated references, the latest  edition of the referenced docu ment 1170  
(including any amendments) applies.  1171  
 1172  
ASEAN  Secretariat  2006.  Good  Agricultural  Practices  (GAP) for production  of fresh 1173  
fruits  and vegetables  in the ASEAN  Region.  Cardno  Acil / RMIT  International  1174  
/ Australian Governm ent AusAid  1175  
 1176  
Codex  Alimentarius  Com mission .2003.  Code  of Hygienic  Practice  for Fresh  Fruits 1177  
and Vegetables (CAC /RCP 53 -2003).  1178  
 1179  
EUREPGAP  c/o  FoodPlus  GmbH.     2004.     EUREPGAP  Control  Points  and 1180  
Complian ce Criteria Fruits  and Vegetables version 2.1 – Oct04.  1181  
 1182  
World  Health  Organizati on.  1989.  Guidel ines for the Safe Use of Waste water and 1183  
Excreta  in Agriculture  and Aqua culture.  1184  
 1185  
 1186  
 1187  
 1188  
 1189  
 1190  
 1191  
 1192  
 1193  
 1194  
 1195  
 1196  
 1197  
 1198  
 1199  
 1200  
 1201  
 1202  
 1203  
 1204  
 1205  
 1206  
 1207  
 1208  
 1209  
 1210  
 1211  
 1212   
 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD _Draft as of April 29, 2017  PNS/BAFS 49:201_  
Code of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetables Farming  
 
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 Technical  Working  Group  for the Revision  of Philippine  1213  
Code  of Good Agricultural  Practi ces (GAP)  for Fruits  and Vegetable  Farming  1214  
 1215  
Chai rperson  Vivencio R. Mamaril , Ph.D.  Director  
Bureau  of Plant Industry  
Members  Santiago A. Palizada / 
Maria Lourdes De Mata  
Ma. Esperanza DG. Uy  Bureau  of Plant  Industry  
 Manuel M. Dimalaluan  
Rosemarie E. Dulla  Agricultural Training Institute  
 Janic e C. Castro  
Yolanda L. Abrina  Bureau  of Soils and Water Management  
 Suzette M. Alcaide  
Rowena C. Reyes  Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority  
 Edralina P. Serrano , Ph.D.  
Rodel G. Maghirang , Ph.D.  
Elda B. Esguerra , Ph.D.  University of the Philippines – Los Ba ños 
 Pedrito S. Nitural , Ph.D.  Central Luzon State University  
 Allan Q. Duaban  Control Union Philippines  
 Mary Grace R. Mandigma  
Jan Vincent DR. Tecson  Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries 
Standards  
Adviser  Karen S. Bautista  Executive Director  
Bureau of  Agriculture and Fisheries 
Standards  
Secretariat  Lara V. Navarro  
John Gregory V. Aquino  
Anjanette S. Tadena  Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries 
Standards  
 1216  
 1217