27.77 Lakh Hectares Covered Under Organic Farming in India

A total area of 27.77 lakh hectares is covered under organic farming in India under Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) and 3rd party certification.

Government of India has been encouraging organic farming in the country through the dedicated schemes namely Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY- Centrally Sponsored scheme, in all states & UTs) and Mission Organic Value Chain Development of North East Region (MOVCDNER -Central Sector scheme for North Eastern Region). Both the schemes aim at promotion of cluster/ Farmers Producer Organization (FPO) based chemical free, low input cost, sustainable organic farming and support farmers from input procurement to market linkages. Organic Farming has also been supported under other schemes viz. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Network Project on Organic Farming under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Third party certification of organic farming is promoted by Agriculture Processed Food and Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce.

Management Agricultural National Institute of Extension (MANAGE), Hyderabad conducted impact study for the scheme Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) during 2017. It is reported that there was 10-20 per cent reduction in cost of cultivation (cost saving) and 20-50 per cent increase in net returns to organic farmers. Price premium (up to 30 per cent) was also observed in some clusters, which were nearer to large cities and had good linkages with large markets.

In the last 3 years, 115314 and 2050 number of capacity building trainings/ workshops conducted for the farmers in the country under PKVY and MOVCDNER scheme respectively, while the no. of farmers participated in the workshops are 14.93 lakhs and 82294 respectively. In U.P 2300 workshops were conducted, and 31000 farmers participated. Apart from states, National Centre of Organic Farming (NCOF), Ghaziabad, a subordinate office of Department of Agriculture Cooperation (DAC&FW) also conducts regular certificate course on organic farming (CCOF), trainings to farmers/ extension staff skill development training on Organic Growers & Vermicompost for promotion of organic farming and its techniques.

Under protected cultivation component of MIDH, assistance is also provided for creation of polyhouses which protects the plants from adverse climatic conditions and provides an appropriate amount of light, temperature, humidity, carbon-dioxide etc. to achieve optimum yield with excellent quality. Since inception of MIDH scheme i.e. from 2014-15 to till date an additional area of 2380.49 ha has been brought under Greenhouse structures like polyhouses.

This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in Lok Sabha today.

Source: IBEF

Image Courtesy: Chhayya