In March of this year, FreshPlaza published an article about fraud with the organic certification of goldenberries. A company called Pichuberry was selling organic goldenberries under the certification of Andes Fruits Colombia.
After investigation, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) confirmed that Pichuberry has indeed used a fraudulent organic document for its conventional goldenberries. Pichuberry has falsely included Andes Export Company in the certification.
“Andes Export Company is certified by CERES and is an operation in good standing,” according to a statement from AMS’s National Organic Program (NOP). “Andes Export is not responsible for the alteration of this certificate.”
On its Fraudulent Organic Certificates website, the NOP publicly announces a list of information about fraudulent certificates.