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Same permits apply to: fruit farming, flowers, agribusiness.
This kit covers vegetable farms, fruit farms, flower farms and small agribusiness. Most farm rules here are voluntary or apply only to certain sales. RSBSA enrollment is free and lets you apply for DA programs. GAP certification is voluntary. Rules start when you label produce organic, which needs certification first, or move plants out of a locality under domestic quarantine or export them, where BPI may inspect and certify.[1,2,3,4]
Free and voluntary: RSBSA and GAP
RSBSA registration is free, and registered farmers can apply for DA programs and services.[1]
DA MIMAROPA lists Good Agricultural Practices certification as a frontline service with no fee listed, GAP-F01 series application forms and a processing time of about 6 days and 30 minutes.[2]
If you plan to supply supermarkets, hotels or exporters, ask them early whether they require GAP. It is easier to farm to the standard from the start than to fix habits later.
Before you write "organic" on a crate
Under RA 11511, produce must be certified before it is sold or labelled as organic. Small farmers with up to 5 hectares can use a Participatory Guarantee System, whose certificate lasts 3 years, but PGS products may be sold only in the domestic market. Labels must show the certifying body's name, logo or seal and its BAFS accreditation number.[3]
Shipping produce, seedlings and cut flowers
PD 1433 Sec. 8 lets BPI plant quarantine officers inspect, treat if needed and certify plants and plant products moved from one locality to another to stop the spread of pests. For exports, BPI issues phytosanitary certificates when the importing country requires them.[4]
Fruit growers who sell seedlings and flower farms that truck blooms to the city should ask BPI before the first shipment. If you also arrange bouquets for sale, see our flower shop kit.
Questions people ask
- Is RSBSA required for vegetable farmers?
- No. It is voluntary and free, and it lets registered farmers apply for DA programs and services.
- How long does GAP certification take?
- DA MIMAROPA lists about 6 days and 30 minutes of processing, with no fee listed.
- Can I sell my vegetables as organic without certification?
- No. Under RA 11511, produce must be certified by an accredited body or through a PGS group before it is sold or labelled as organic.
- Do I need a phytosanitary certificate for local sales?
- Phytosanitary certificates are for exports when the importing country requires them. Moving produce within the country may need domestic quarantine papers where BPI applies them.
Farm prep list
- Enroll in RSBSA at the municipal agriculture office
- Ask your buyers whether they need GAP certification
- Get GAP forms from your DA regional field office if needed
- Find a PGS group or certifying body before using the word organic
- Call BPI plant quarantine before shipping plants to another province
- Ask foreign buyers which phytosanitary papers they need
Sources
Checked 13 November 2026. We link the agency's own page for every requirement. Rules change; confirm with the office before you pay.
- RSBSA FAQs · Department of Agriculture Cordillera (DA-RFO-CAR) · February 2024
- Regulatory Services (Frontline Services) · Department of Agriculture MIMAROPA
- Republic Act No. 11511 (amending the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010) · Lawphil Project (Arellano Law Foundation) · 23 December 2020
- Presidential Decree No. 1433 (Plant Quarantine Law of 1978) · Lawphil Project (Arellano Law Foundation) · 10 June 1978
The extra permits, in one table
| Permit or registration | Agency | When it applies | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSBSA registration[1] | Department of Agriculture (DA) | voluntary; needed to receive DA programs | free |
| Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification[2] | DA / Bureau of Plant Industry | voluntary farm certification for crop farms | none listed (DA MIMAROPA) |
| Organic certification (third-party OCB, or Participatory Guarantee System for small farmers) before selling or labelling produce as organic[3] | DA - Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS) / accredited OCB or PGS group | only if selling or labelling produce as 'organic' | Not published |
| Organic label must show the OCB name/logo/seal and its BAFS accreditation number[3] | DA - BAFS | only if labelling produce as organic | not applicable |
| Domestic plant quarantine inspection/treatment/certification when moving plants or plant products between localities[4] | DA - Bureau of Plant Industry (Plant Quarantine Service) | when moving plants/produce out of a locality where BPI applies domestic quarantine | Not published |
| Phytosanitary certificate for exported plants/plant products[4] | DA - Bureau of Plant Industry (Plant Quarantine Service) | only if exporting and the importing country requires it | Not published |