INC 02/2018: Complete Guide to Fresh Vegetable Traceability in Brazil

Inside this article

• What is INC 02/2018 and its legal basis
• Who is required to comply with the standard
• What information needs to be recorded
• Implementation schedule by product
• Fines and penalties for non-compliance
• Using blockchain for compliance

1. What is INC 02/2018

The Joint Normative Instruction ANVISA-MAPA No. 02 of February 7, 2018, is the federal standard that mandates the traceability of fresh vegetable products for human consumption throughout Brazil.

Issued jointly by the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), the standard primarily aims to monitor and control pesticide residues along the entire production chain — from field to consumer.

“Traceability: unique procedures that allow detecting the origin and tracking the movement of a product along the production chain through recorded informative and documentary elements.” — Art. 2, item XI, INC 02/2018

2. Who must comply

INC 02/2018 applies to all entities in the fresh vegetable production chain operating in Brazil — whether individuals or legal entities, public or private. This includes local production and imported products for human consumption.

• Retailers (supermarkets, small shops, fairs)
• Distribution centers
• Wholesalers
• Importers
• Packing houses
• Primary producers

5. Fines and penalties

Minor Offense

R$2k – R$20k

Attenuating circumstances found

Serious Offense

R$20k – R$50k

Aggravating circumstances found

Very Serious

Up to R$500k

Two or more aggravating factors

Fines can reach R$ 500,000 plus administrative sanctions like establishment closure and product seizure.

7. Blockchain as a solution

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Immutability

Records cannot be changed retroactively — providing a permanent audit trail.

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Auditability

Full batch history verifiable in seconds during inspections.

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Market Access

Competitive advantage for exports to EU and US markets.