From Contract Production to Producer Ownership: Fairtrade Rice Organizations in Jammu Explore Their Options

Two Standards, One Question: Which Model Fits Us?

Rice farmers in Jammu work within one of two Fairtrade models. Under the Contract Production (CP) Standard, farmers who are not yet organized into their own democratic organization are linked to Fairtrade through a Promoting Body, often the company that buys and exports their crops. Under the Small Producer Organization (SPO) Standard, farmers own and run their organization themselves. Knowing how the two differ, and what it takes to move from one to the other, shapes decisions that producer organizations make for years to come.

On 18 August 2026, Fairtrade NAPP brought together farmers and management representatives from four Fairtrade certified rice producer organizations in Jammu, India: Star Global Multi Ventures (Gharana Project, R.S. Pura), Sharsid Overseas (Sharsid-Himalayan Wetland Basmati Growers Group, R.S. Pura), Nature Pearls (Group of Small Organic Farmers, Gharana) and Nature Bio-Foods (Fair Farming Foundation, Jammu). The in-person training ran alongside Fairtrade NAPP’s virtual monthly meeting for rice producer organizations in North India. Participants came away with a clearer picture of both Standards, a practical sense of what a move to the SPO model would involve, and updated guidance on export requirements.

Seeing Both Models Side by Side

A Standards orientation session set the CP and SPO Standards next to each other, covering how each is structured, who holds decision-making power and who is responsible for what. For farmers and management teams working under CP, this made it easier to see where their current systems already match SPO requirements and where changes would be needed. Participants also compared how participation and transparency work under each model, from how members are consulted to how records are kept and shared.

“Fairtrade NAPP programmes benefit producers, CP members and the Promoting Body by creating awareness on Standards. Quarterly offline programmes are encouraged, as we get highly motivated by Fairtrade NAPP to work in a sustainable supply chain.”

- Pradeep Mishra, Nature Bio-Foods Ltd, Fair Farming Foundation Jammu, India

A Step-by-Step View of the Move to SPO

For organizations considering a move from CP to SPO, the session walked through the requirements and the sequence of steps involved. Participants used the discussion to take stock of their own organizational readiness and to list the actions they would need to take first. The emphasis was on informed choice: the SPO model is one option, and each organization can decide whether and when a transition suits its members.

Boards, Constitutions and Shared Responsibility

 Participants discussed the roles and responsibilities of a board, what a constitution should cover, and how organizational structure supports member participation and accountability under both Standards. Management representatives related these requirements directly to how their own groups are run, and raised practical situations they wanted to talk through.

Refreshing the Fairtrade Basics Ahead of Audits

The training revisited the core principles of Fairtrade, including how the Fairtrade Minimum Price acts as a safety net and how the Fairtrade Premium is decided and used. Sessions on the Fairtrade Trade Standard covered trading contracts, traceability, product sourcing and correct use of the FAIRTRADE Mark. For participants, this served as a timely refresher before upcoming audits, with the chance to check their understanding of current requirements.

“The programmes organized by Fairtrade NAPP are beneficial to us, as our knowledge gets refreshed and we get more updates about upcoming audit requirements. We request Fairtrade NAPP to conduct quarterly offline programmes.”

- Jitendra Singh, Sharsid Overseas Private Limited, Sharsid-Himalayan Wetland Basmati Growers Group, R.S. Pura, India

Keeping Pace with Export Requirements

For rice producer organizations selling into export markets, the rules keep evolving. Discussions covered emerging compliance expectations, including relevant norms of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), and what they mean for documentation, transparency and organizational systems. Through the monthly meeting, producer organizations also shared updates on their activities, described the challenges they are working through and named where they would like further support, giving Fairtrade NAPP a clear basis for follow-up guidance.

Keeping the Conversation Going

The day closed with a list of follow-up actions and support needs identified by the producer organizations. Fairtrade NAPP will continue its monthly virtual meetings with rice producer organizations in North India and will meet individual organizations as their needs arise, including those weighing a move from CP to SPO. Participants asked for in-person sessions every quarter to complement the virtual meetings, a suggestion Fairtrade NAPP is considering as it plans the next round of support. With export norms and audit requirements continuing to change, regular exchange of this kind keeps governance and compliance systems current and supports producer organizations in making decisions about their future on their own terms.