Herbs, herbal teas and spices

Product Standard for Contract Production

This standard covers the purchase and sale of herbs, herbal teas and spices

For Contract Production, it applies to rotational crops or intercrops in cotton and rice for producers who are certified for cotton and rice in India and cotton in Pakistan.

This standard covers the purchase and sale of herbs, herbal teas and spices. For the sections under certification and traceability (only), the standard also cover any derivatives.

For Contract Production, it includes all herbs, herbal teas and spices in the Fairtrade Herbs and Spices list (see above) produced as rotational crops or intercrops by cotton and rice producers in India, and cotton producers in Pakistan.

Herbs consist of leaves, flowers, stems and roots from a variety of herbaceous plants. They include, for example: lemon verbena, dill, water mint, lemongrass, orange leaves, camomile, lemon balm, peppermint, borage, basil, celery, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme and caraway.

Spices consist of aromatic seeds, buds, roots, rhizomes, barks, pods, flowers or parts thereof, berries or other fruits from a variety of plants. They include, for example: pepper, capsicums (chillies and cayenne pepper), cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, mace, caraway, cumin, turmeric, cloves, cardamom and vanilla.

Herbs and spices are used either in fresh or in dried form, mainly to flavour foods but also for other food and non-food applications. If a product is also covered by another Fairtrade product Standard, the respective Standard applies and the product cannot be certified as herb, herbal tea or spice.

For the camelia sinensis plant please refer to the Fairtrade Tea Standard.

This product-specific standard applies (whole or in part) to contract production organizations as explained here. Together, the Fairtrade Standard for Contract Production and the product standard above define the terms of trade. Please read both documents for further guidance.

Does your company want to trade this Fairtrade product?

Aspects of this product standard also apply to companies that wish to trade with producers. The product standard above works in conjunction with the Fairtrade Trader Standard to outline the terms of trade for this product.