Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal said India’s total export value of organic farming has the potential to reach Rs 20,000 crore in the next three years. 

The minister said this during his address at the launch of 8th edition of National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) in New Delhi on January 9.

National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP)

• Organic products are grown under a system of agriculture without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides with an environmentally and socially responsible approach. 

• This is a method of farming that works at grassroots level preserving the reproductive and regenerative capacity of the soil, good plant nutrition, and sound soil management, producing nutritious food rich in vitality which has resistance to diseases.

• India is bestowed with a lot of potential to produce all varieties of organic products due to its various agro climatic conditions. 

• In several parts of the country, the inherited tradition of organic farming is an added advantage.

• This holds promise for the organic producers to tap the market which is growing steadily in the domestic and export sector.

• According to the government, India ranks first in the number of organic farmers.

• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is implementing the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP). 

• The programme involves the accreditation of certification bodies, standards for organic production, promotion of organic farming and marketing, etc. 

• The NPOP standards for production and accreditation system have been recognised by the European Commission and Switzerland for unprocessed plant products as equivalent to their country standards. 

• With these recognitions, Indian organic products duly certified by the accredited certification bodies of India are accepted by the importing countries. 

• APEDA is also in the process of negotiation with South Korea, Taiwan, Canada, Japan, etc.

• APEDA also functions as the Secretariat of the certification bodies under NPOP for organic exports. The products are certified as ‘organic products’ for export as per the standards laid down by NPOP.

Other key points:

• As on March 31, 2024, total area under organic certification process (registered under NPOP) is 7.3 million hectares (2023-24). This includes 44,75,836.91 hectares of cultivable area and another 28, 50,156.48 hectares for wild harvest collection.

• Among all the states, Madhya Pradesh has covered the largest area under organic certification followed by Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Odisha, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

• In 2016, Sikkim was formally declared a 100 per cent organic state.

• India produced around 3.6 million MT (2023-24) of certified organic products which includes all varieties of food products namely oil seeds, fibre, sugar cane, cereals & millets, cotton, pulses, aromatic & medicinal plants, tea, coffee, fruits, spices, dry fruits, vegetables, processed foods,  etc. 

• The production is not limited to the edible sector but also produces organic cotton fiber, functional food products etc.

• Among different states Maharashtra is the largest producer followed by Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Gujarat. 

• In terms of commodities, fiber crops are the single largest category followed by oil seeds, sugar crops, cereals and millets, medicinal/herbal and aromatic plants, spices & condiments, fresh fruits & vegetables, pulses, tea & coffee.

• The total volume of export during 2023-24 was 2,61,029 MT. 

• The organic food export realisation was around Rs 4,007.91 crore. Organic products are exported to the USA, European Union, Canada, Great Britain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Vietnam, Australia, Thailand, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, etc.

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