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Organic products worth Rs 5,151 crore were exported by India in 2018-19. The previous year’s data was Rs 3,453 crore, thereby, the increase in one year is about 49 percent, according to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority.
“India produced around 2.67 million tonnes (2018-19) of certified organic products which include all varieties of food products namely oil seeds, sugar cane, cereals, and millets, cotton, pulses, medicinal plants, tea, fruits, spices, dry fruits, vegetables, coffee etc. The production is not limited to the edible sector but also produces organic cotton fiber and functional food products,” said APEDA Chairman Paban Borthakur.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is a statutory body under the Commerce Ministry.
Major demands under the organic product category are for flax seeds, sesame, and soybean; pulses such as arhar (red gram), chana (pigeon pea); and rice, along with tea and medicinal plants, the Authority shared.
Talking about the demand from various counties, Borthakur informed: “There is a growing demand from Canada, Taiwan, and South Korea in recent years, Germany is one of the biggest importers of Indian organic products. Now, many new countries are also taking an interest.”
He also noted that the demand for organic agricultural products is constantly accelerating worldwide because organic products are grown under a system of agriculture without the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
This includes 1.94 million ha cultivable area and another 1.49 million Hectare for wild harvest collection. Among all the states, Madhya Pradesh has covered the largest area under organic certification followed by Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. During 2016, Sikkim had achieved a remarkable distinction of converting its entire cultivable land (more than 76,000 ha) under organic certification, Borthakur said.
“The total volume of export during 2018-19 was 6.14 lakh MT. The organic food export realisation was around Rs 5,151 crore (757.49 million USD). Organic products are exported to USA, European Union, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Israel, South Korea, Vietnam, New Zealand and Japan,” the APEDA Chairman said.
To further boost the demand for organic agricultural products in India and abroad, APEDA will be showcasing India’s strength as a major hub for organic food products, ingredients, commodities and processed food at the three-day Biofach India 2019, a trade fair for organic food to be held in Greater Noida from November 7-9.
