9.1 Production Units

9.1.1 Production should take place in a unit where the land parcels, production areas and storage facilities are clearly separate from those of any other unit which does not produce according to this Standard; preparation and/or packaging workshops may form part of the unit, where its activity is limited to preparation and packaging of its own agricultural produce.

9.1.2 When the inspection arrangements are first implemented, the operator and AsureQuality Limited must draw up and sign a document, which includes:

- A full description of the unit and/or collection areas, showing the storage and production premises and land parcels and, where applicable, premises where certain preparation and/or packaging operations take place.

- In the case of collection of wild plants, the guarantees given by third parties, if appropriate, which the producer can provide to ensure that the provisions of Section 4.6 are satisfied.

- All the practical measures to be taken at the level of the unit to ensure compliance with this Standard.

- The date of the last application on the land parcels and/or collection areas concerned of products the use of which is not compatible with this Standard.

- An undertaking by the operator to carry out operations in accordance with Sections 3, 4 and 5 and to accept, in event of infringements, implementation of the measures as referred to in Section 9.5.

9.1.3 Each year, before the date indicated by AsureQuality Limited, the operator should notify its schedule of production of crop products, giving a breakdown by land parcel.

9.1.4 Written and/or documentary accounts should be kept which enable AsureQuality Limited to trace the origin, nature and quantities of all raw materials bought, and the use of such materials; in addition, written and/or documentary accounts should be kept of the nature, quantities and consignees of all agricultural products sold.  Quantities sold directly to the final consumer should preferably be accounted for on a daily basis.  When the unit itself processes agricultural products, its accounts must contain the information required in 9.3.2, third point of this section.

9.1.5 Storage on the unit of input substances other than those whose use is within Sections 4 and 5 of this Standard is prohibited.

9.1.6 AsureQuality must undertake a full physical inspection, at least once a year of the unit.  Samples for testing of products not listed in this Standard may be taken where their use is suspected.  An inspection report should be drawn up after each visit.  Additional occasional unannounced visits may also be undertaken according to need or at random. 

9.1.7 The operator should give AsureQuality, for inspection purposes, access to the storage and production premises and to the land parcels, as well as to the accounts and relevant supporting documents. The operator should also provide AsureQuality Limited with any information deemed necessary for the purposes of the inspection.

9.1.8 Where a producer manages several horticultural holdings in the same region, the units which produce horticultural or horticultural products not covered by Section 1 will also be subject to the inspection system as regards the first, second and third indents of point 9.1.2 of this Section on horticultural and horticultural products and as regards the provisions on horticultural management, horticultural records and the principles governing storage of horticultural products used.