Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) created dedicated organic promotion division | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) created dedicated organic promotion division

Posted 23 Feb 2024

2 min read

  • This division is now serving as a focal point for coordinating efforts to promote country's organic export potential.
  • APEDA also formulated roadmap to push organic exports from Uttarakhand and Sikkim, focusing on enhancing farming practices, optimizing certification procedures, and identifying prime export product.
    • Sikkim is the first Organic State of India.

 

  • Organic farming is a sustainable agriculture system that excludes use of synthetic inputs in farming and relies on on-farm inputs like crop residues, farmyard manure, enriched composts, etc. for nutrient management of crops.
    • India's rank 6th in terms of World's Organic Agricultural land as per 2021 data.
    • Madhya Pradesh is largest producer of organic products followed by Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Odisha.
    • Organic products are exported to USA, Canada, Great Britain, Switzerland, Turkey, Australia, Ecuador, etc.

 

  • Significance of organic farming: Improve soil fertility, reduce erosion, lowers environmental pollution, reduce greenhouse gas etc.

 

  • Challenges with Organic farming
    • Yield of organic farming is around 18.4% lower than that of conventional farming.
    • High certification cost, and inadequate supporting infrastructure.
    • Requires more time for observation, timely control, and intervention. It is naturally more labor-intensive.

 

Initiatives to promote Organic farming

  • Revising National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) guidelines to bolster accessibility of organic products in international markets.
  • NPOP is involved in accreditation of Certification Bodies, fixing standards for organic production and packaging etc.
  • Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana 2015.
  • Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region.
  • Jaivik Kheti organic e-commerce portal of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
  • Tags :
  • Organic farming
  • APEDA
  • Sustainable agriculture
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