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Certification

Special features of farming under the Demeter standards

Biodynamic agriculture defines the quality of food as dependent on life forces sustaining our bodies in harmonious health. Hence, Demeter certification requires certification as per national organic standards as a pre-requisite, but Demeter standards go beyond organic standards in the following way:

  • The use of Biodynamic preparations (from various herbs and minerals) is mandatory.
  • The guidance of the Biodynamic Calendar which indicates cosmic rhythms beyond the seasons of the sun, in particular, the cycles of the moon including its zodiac constellations is helpful in deciding days for input application and all farming activities.
  • The Biodynamic farm is to be developed as an individual self-contained entity; biodiversity of flora is essential.
  • The Biodynamic farm is expected to integrate animals, in particular cows, as their manure is regarded as particularly beneficial to soil, crops and the farm organism.
  • The purpose of Biodynamic farming is food crop production of the highest quality.

What Makes Demeter Different?

Demeter certification goes beyond organic. While national organic certification is a prerequisite, Demeter requires additional practices that are central to biodynamic farming:

  • Mandatory use of biodynamic preparations (from herbs, minerals, and cow manure in horns).
  • Guidance by the biodynamic calendar, including lunar and cosmic rhythms.
  • Farms developed as self-contained organisms with rich biodiversity.
  • Integration of livestock, especially cows, for manure and soil fertility.
  • Use of treated composts (with biodynamic preparations) on all manures.

Commitment to producing food of the highest vitality and quality.

Demeter Certification Office

In India, certification is managed by the Demeter Certification Office (DCO) of the Biodynamic Association of India (BDAI).

  • All audits are conducted by trained DCO auditors.
  • Certification is managed through an online certification database ensuring traceability, version control, and transparency.

Audits are annual and compulsory for producers, processors, exporters, and traders.

Demeter Audits in India

Audits follow a document-driven, online workflow and include both remote checks and on-site visits.

1. New Applicants

  • Enquiry → Applicant emails DCO.
  • Documents → DCO sends questionnaire & checklist (organic scope certificate, plot list, input list, conversion plan, etc.).
  • Review → DCO verifies completeness of all data and documentation
  • Approval for Audit → DCO issues notice for first on-site inspection.

2. Existing Licensees

  • Audit Scheduling → Email sent 15+ days in advance with auditor name, visit plan, and upload deadline.
  • Pre-Audit Review → Auditor checks uploaded records, requests missing files.
  • On-Site Audit → Conducted during harvest or processing to observe live operations; checks inputs, logs, mass-balance, etc.
  • Reporting → Auditor files report in the database; draft sent to licensee for electronic signature.
  • Certification Review → Once signed, the package is reviewed by the DCO team for certificate issuance/ renewal.

All communication, document exchange, and report approvals are handled digitally.

Risk-Based Audits

The Demeter Certification Office (DCO), India, follows a risk-based audit system to improve certification efficiency while maintaining the integrity of Demeter certification. Under this approach, audit frequency and audit intensity are determined based on the risk profile of each licensee.

Licensees are categorised as low risk, medium risk, or high risk based on factors such as compliance history, operational complexity, traceability systems, and previous non-compliances.

  • Low-risk licensees with a strong compliance record may qualify for reduced audit frequency.
  • Medium-risk licensees continue to undergo annual audits.
  • High-risk licensees may be subject to additional or unannounced audits to verify compliance and traceability.

This system encourages a strong compliance culture, reduces audit burden for consistently compliant enterprises, and allows greater focus on higher-risk operations.

Requirements for Certification

Applicants must demonstrate compliance with the following key requirements:

  • Full farm conversion: all crops, animals, fodder, and even produce for home use must follow Demeter standards.
  • Livestock: arable farms must maintain ruminants at 0.2–2.0 LU/ha.
  • Preparations: at least one annual application of horn manure (500) and horn silica (501); all composts must be treated.
  • Seed: must be Demeter quality where available, otherwise organic (or conventional) only with prior written DCO approval).
  • Inputs: comply with the Demeter input lists; all inputs must have GMO-free declarations.
  • Traceability: clear separation of product flow at every stage of production, storage, processing, transport, and export.

Requirements for applying for Demeter certification

Before you apply to have your enterprise inspected for Demeter certification, please study the Demeter Standards diligently and check to see if the most important prerequisites listed below are already being met, or could be fulfilled in the immediate future::

  • Conversion of the entire farm (incl. all crops, animal husbandry and fodder, areas producing products for home consumption) to Demeter standards.
  • Ruminants are present in arable enterprises – the requirement is between 0.2 and 2.0 livestock units/hectare.
  • At least one application per year of cow horn manure and horn silica, as well as the spreading of prepared manures in all areas of the enterprise.
  • All organic manures (stable manure, compost etc.) are to be treated with compost preparations. 
  • Seed and planting material must be sourced in Demeter quality if available and if not, then of organic quality. Conventional quality may be used only with the prior written permission of the DCO. Treated seeds are strictly forbidden.
  • Compliance with the input lists named in the annexes of the Demeter Standards.
  • GMO-free declaration for all inputs
  • Clear separation of product flow in all steps of production, transport, processing, storage and export.

Conversion

It usually takes three years of conversion time to achieve Demeter certification. The conversion time can be shortened in some cases provided requirements are met. Kindly read the conversion section of the Demeter Standards for more details. The conversion brochure may also give you a fair idea of this process.

Conversion Timeline

  • Typical conversion period: 3 – 5 years.
  • Certification timelines may be shortened if biodynamic practices and organic certification are already in place.
    Requires a conversion plan covering crops, livestock, composting, contamination risks, and biodynamic preparations.

Certification Tariffs (2025)

  • Preparation / Administration Fee – ₹5000
  • Travel Charge – ₹5000 per audit day
  • Inspection Fee – ₹8000 per audit day
  • Reporting Fee – ₹5000

 

Procedures: the major steps of conversion towards Demeter

1. Farm Questionnaire & Documentation

The enterprise, converting to Demeter, contacts the Demeter Certification Office in India. 

  • The farmer completes a Questionnaire, a conversion plan and a plot list, and returns these documents by E-Mail to the Demeter Certification Office (DCO)
  • The conversion plan covers planned crops and crop rotation, the fertiliser programme, development of animal husbandry and feeding, appropriate measures to counteract cross-boundary environmental contamination threats as well the production and use of the Biodynamic preparations.
  • As long as needed for the conversion period and beyond, the farmer resp. the manager of the enterprise engages an accredited Biodynamic Advisor.

2. Conversion Contract

The DCO checks the supplied information so as to assess whether the farm is sufficiently prepared to go into conversion.

  • A conversion contract is signed between the enterprise and Demeter-International resp. the BDAI in which the manager is obliged to farm the enterprise to the Demeter standards from this point in time on.
  • Also from this time at the latest, all use of the Biodynamic preparations needs to be documented.

The manager of the enterprise, along with an accredited Biodynamic Advisor, produces a management plan in which an overview of the whole conversion process is detailed.

  • This plan covers planned crop rotations, the fertiliser programme, development of animal husbandry and feeding, locally appropriate measures to counteract cross-boundary environmental contamination threats as well and the production and use of Biodynamic preparations.

3. BDAI Membership

The enterprise applies for membership in the Biodynamic Association of India (BDAI).

4. Manager Training

The manager of the enterprise attends an approved introductory course in Biodynamic agriculture conducted by the BDAI or approved centres.

5. Certification / License Contract

The manager of the enterprise attends an approved introductory course in Biodynamic agriculture conducted by the BDAI or approved centres.

6. Inspection

The Demeter inspection takes place annually, carried out by an independent, qualified Demeter inspector from an accredited inspection agency. As well as checking that the enterprise conforms to the regulation for organic agriculture with amendments, the additional requirements to meet the Demeter standards are inspected. 

  • The converting enterprise contacts an inspection agency, which is authorised by Demeter India to do Demeter inspections, and enquires about the cost of inspections. The costs for the Demeter inspection will be paid by the inspected enterprise.
  • All documents relating to the bringing in of materials from outside the farm (seed, fodder, manure, plant protection agents, etc.) as well as the farm plan, the management plan and documentation detailing preparation use must be available at the inspection.
  • The inspection agency sends the inspection report to the DCO for assessment and a decision on Demeter certification.

7. Certification Decision

  • If the management of the enterprise meets the Demeter standards, but with some non-compliances, a conditions letter is issued with details of expected corrective actions and evidence.
  • The management fulfils the corrective action and sends the report with evidence to the DCO. If the corrections are satisfactory, the Demeter certificate is issued.
  • If the management does not meet the Demeter standards in important areas, the enterprise will be informed of this and the reasons why will be detailed. In this case, the DCO will decide whether the management can reapply or not.
  • The applicant then has an opportunity to appeal against this decision as mentioned in the contract

8. Processing and Licensing Fees

  • The enterprise will be charged by the DCO of the BDAI a fee according to a fixed scale of fees for the use of the Demeter trademark and certification costs

Download the current tariff for certification fees