Organic farming is recognized as a sustainable agriculture practice promoting use of organic/ bio inputs that takes care of environment (including soil, biodiversity) and human wellbeing. Organic farming practices such as crop rotations, inter-cropping, cover crops, use of organic fertilizers and minimum tillage improves biodiversity, nutrient content and water retention capacity of the soil. Organic agriculture also contributes to mitigating the greenhouse effect and global warming through its ability to sequester carbon in the soil (FAO).
Organic foods are safe and healthy and also boost immunity. With increased awareness on organic foods, people are inclining more towards organic products and it is fact that since the advent of COVID-19, the demand of organic product has increased in domestic market. The domestic market is growing @ 17% and the projected demand of organic food market is likely to cross Rs. 87.1 crore by 2021 from the Rs. 53.3 crore in 2016 (ASSOCHAM –EY). The export market size of organic products has increased by 42% during the current year (2021) compared to last year and the volume of organic products exported from April 2020 to February 2021 is 819250 MT with value of 948 million USD.
In view of increasing demand of organic food and realizing the advantage of chemical free farming for environment and human life, Government of India has been promoting Organic farming in the country through dedicated schemes namely Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) since 2015-16. Both the schemes stress on end to end support to organic farmers i.e. from production to certification and marketing.
This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in Rajya Sabha today.
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