India ranks 1st in Organic Farming

Sikkim is the first state in the world to become completely organic

• In a very recent official statement from the government, India ranks first within
  the number of organic farmers and ninth in terms of area under organic
  farming
• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare recently announced that India
  also ranks 9th in terms of areas under Organic Farming
• Sikkim is recognized as the first state in the world to become completely organic

Key findings of India’s position

• Sikkim became the first State in the world to become fully organic and other
  States including Tripura and Uttarakhand have set similar targets
• North East India has traditionally been organic and the consumption of
  chemicals is far less than rest of the country
• Similarly the tribal and island territories are being nurtured to continue their
  organic story
• The major organic exports from India have been flax seeds, sesame, soybean,
  tea, medicinal plants, rice and pulses, which were instrumental in driving an
  increase of nearly 50% in organic exports in 2018-19, touching Rs 5151 crore
• Modest commencement of exports from Assam, Mizoram, Manipur and
  Nagaland to UK, USA, Swaziland and Italy have proved the potential by
  increasing volumes and expanding to new destinations as the demand for
  health foods increases

Achievement under MOVCD and PKVY

• With the aim of assisting farmers to adopt organic farming and improve
  remunerations due to premium prices, two dedicated programs namely Mission
  Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCD) and
  Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) were launched in 2015 to encourage
  chemical free farming
• With the simultaneous thrust given by the Agri-export Policy 2018, India can
  emerge as a major player in global organic markets
• About 40,000 clusters are being assisted under PKVY covering an area of about
  7 lakh hector
• MOVCD has brought in its fold 160 FPOs cultivating about 80,000 ha. For
  these clusters to become sustainable, it is important that henceforth market led
  production starts in a contract farming mode, so that there is a ready market
  for the produce and industry also gets the desired quality and quantity when
  required. This is being pursued in right earnest with bulk buyers including the
  phtyo extracts industries
• The commodities with highest potential include ginger, turmeric, black rice,
  spices, nutri cereals, pineapples, medicinal plants, buckwheat, bamboo shoots,
  etc. Supplies have started from NER including for Mother Dairy from
  Meghalaya, Revanta Foods and Big Basket from Manipur
• Number of instances of farmer groups setting up markets in RWAs and selling
  directly is increasingly becoming common especially in Maharashtra and
  Karnataka where fresh organic produce is lapped up by the urbanites and
  farmers get a better bargain with no intermediaries
• The presence of aggregators is imperative to bring about economies of scale for
  the small and marginal farmers
• Hence the concept of market led one district – One product is being encouraged,
  as also development of more clusters in the vicinity of bigger towns where the
  appetite for organics will be much more

Strength of India

• Natural farming is not a new concept in India, with farmers having tilled their
  land without the use of chemicals – largely relying on organic residues, cow
  dung, composts, etc since time immemorial
• The philosophy underlying organic farming of integration of the elements – soil,
  water, microbes and ‘waste’ products, forestry and agriculture is the correct
  recipe for sustainable use of natural resources, which are coming under severe
  stress due to ever increasing requirement of food and feedstock for agri based
  industry
• This is also in sync with the Sustainable Development Goal 2 targeting ‘end
  hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable
  agriculture’
• Hence with greater awareness and capacity building of the producers on
  compliance with international standards, Indian organic farmers will soon be
  reinforcing their rightful place in global agri trade

Pic courtesy : affairscloud.com