The National Centre for Organic Farming (NCOF), under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, is the nodal organisation for organic farming in India. NCOF implements the National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF) to promote the production, certification and marketing of organic products. The National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), introduced by the Department of Commerce, is aimed at regulation and promotion of organic food exports from the country.
The promotion of exports of organic products is a continuous process. The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an organisation under the administrative control of Department of Commerce, has been mandated with the implementation of NPOP and export promotion of organic products. APEDA provides assistance to the exporters of organic products under various components of its export promotion scheme. APEDA also undertakes various activities to promote exports of organic products such as the addition of new products under NPOP, making efforts to get NPOP standards recognised by the importing countries, promoting ‘India Organic’ brand through participation in international trade fairs and exhibitions, organising buyer-seller meets (BSMs), organising capacity building and outreach programmes.
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India’s organic food exports amounted to USD 1.04 billion during 2020-21. Organic foodgrains are being exported from the country mainly under the category cereal and millets. During 2020-21, 59,908 MT of organic products under the category ‘cereal and millets’, worth US$76 million have been exported from India under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP).
The Government of India has been promoting organic farming in the country, including in Bundelkhand and Uttarakhand, through dedicated schemes namely Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) since 2015-16 to cater to the needs of domestic and export markets respectively. Marketing and branding have been an integral part of organic farming schemes. The assistance of Rs 6,800 per hectare under PKVY and Rs 5000 per hectare under MOVCDNER is provided for marketing, branding and trade. Brand ‘Organic Uttarakhand’ has been developed under PKVY for the state of Uttarakhand.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Anupriya Patel, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha Wednesday.
