OBJECTIVE

The objective behind setting up an organic farm is to attract and invite more farmers
towards this form of farming. It is clear from current scientific researches and through
environmentalists that use of chemical pesticides have been one of the major cause
behind the deteriorating level of crop production, and let the farmers know that
organic farming will not only enhance there crop production but also help in
maintaining the land fertility as it uses the sustainable agricultural techniques.
Moreover, organic farming is also the need of the hour as it now very well known that
this kind of farming is environment friendly and can be a farmers input against the
fight against global warming. The sum up of objectives is as under: To increase crop productivity
To use sustainable crop production methods
To switch over to natural and environment friendly methods of crop
Cultivation
NEED FOR ORGANIC FARMING IN INDIA
The need for organic farming in India arises from the unsustainability of agriculture
production and the damage caused to ecology through the conventional farming
practices.
The present system of agriculture which we call 'conventional' and practiced the
world over evolved in the western nations as a product of their socio-economic
48
environment which promoted an over riding quest for accumulation of wealth. This
method of farming adopted by other countries is inherently self destructive and
unsustainable.
The modern farming is highly perfected by the Americans who dispossessed the
natives of their farms right from the early period of the new settlers in US (Wadia,
1996). The large farms appropriated by the immigrants required machines to do the
large scale cultural operations. These machines needed large amount of fossil fuels
besides forcing the farmers to raise the same crops again and again, in order to utilize
these machines to their optimum capacities. The result was the reduction of biodiversity
and labour. The high cost of the machines necessitated high profits, which
in turn put pressure to raise productivity. Then, only those crops with high
productivity were cultivated which needed increased quantities of fertilizers and
pesticides. Increasing use of pesticides resulted in the damage to environment and
increased resistance of insects to them. Pesticides harmed useful organisms in the
soil.
The monoculture of high yielding seeds required external inputs of chemical
fertilizers. The fertilizers also destroy soil organisms. They damage the rhizobia that
fix nitrogen and other micro organisms that make phosphates available to plants
(Wadia, 1996). The long term effect was reduction of crop yields. The damaged soil
was easily eroded by wind and water. The eroding soil needed use of continuously
increasing quantities of fertilizers, much of which was washed/leached into surface
and underground water sources.
The theme of consumer welfare has become central in the economic activities in the
developed countries in the world. Sustainable agriculture based on technologies that
combine increased production with improved environmental protection has been
accepted as absolutely essential for the maximization of the consumer welfare. The
consumers are increasingly concerned about the quality of the products they consume
and food safety has become a crucial requirement. Safety, quality and hygienic
standards are increasingly being made strict. The mad cow disease and the question of
genetically modified food production are the recent instances, which made the

countries to tighten the laws. Mycotoxln contamination, unacceptable levels of

pesticide residues and environment degradation are the problems on which the
49
attention is centred. Keeping the interests of the consumers, the European Union has
taken tough measures including criminal prosecution to ensure food safety. Another
area to increase the consumer welfare is promotion of the eco-friendly methods in
agriculture. No-till, or conservation agriculture, lower input approaches of integrated
pest or nutrient management and organic farming are some of them.
The Indian agriculture switched over to the conventional system of production on the
advent of the green revolution in the 1970s. The change was in the national interest
which suffered set backs because of the country's over dependence on the foreign
food sources. The national determination was so intense that all the attention was
focused on the increase in agriculture production.
The agriculture and allied sectors in India provide employment to 65 per cent of the
workers and accounts for 30 per cent of the national income. The growth of
population and the increase in income will lead to a rise in demand for foodgrains as
also for the agricultural raw materials for industry in the future. The area under
cultivation, obviously, cannot be increased and the present 140 million hectares will
have to meet the future increases in such demands. There is a strong reason for even a
decline in the cultivated area because of the urbanization and industrialization, which
in turn will exert much pressure on the existing, cropped area.
Science and technology have helped man to increase agricultural production from the
natural resources like land. But the realization that this has been achieved at the cost
of the nature and environment, which support the human life itself, is becoming clear.
It has been fully evident that the present pattern of economic development, which
ignores the ecology and environment, cannot sustain the achievement of man without
substantial erosion of the factors that support the life system of all living things on
the Earth. The evidence of the ill effects of development is well documented. As said
earlier, we in India have to be concerned much more than any other nation of the
world as agriculture is the source of livelihood of more than 6-7 million of our people
and it is the foundation of the economic development of the country.
There were times when people lived close to nature with access to flora and fauna in
healthier and cleaner surroundings. One has to look back at our present metropolitan
cities or other large towns before the past fifty years as recorded in
50
history/memmories of the present elder generation to see the striking differences in
the surroundings in which the people lived there. Land, water and air, the most
fundamental resources supporting the human life, have degraded into such an extent
that they now constitute a threat to the livelihood of millions of people in the countiy.
Ecological and environmental effects have been highly publicised all over the world.
Many times, these analysis have taken the shape of doomsday forecasts. Powerful
interests in the developed western countries have also politicised these issues to take
advantage of the poor nations of the world. Efforts to impose trade restrictions on the
plea of environment protection are a direct result of these campaigns. But we have to
recognize that the abysmal level to which we have degraded our resources ,requires
immediate remedial measures without terming the demand for them as the ploys of
the rich nations to exploit the poor.
Another turn of the events has been the blame game for ecological problems stated at
the Earth Summit and other international conferences. The developed countries, it is
true, are to a great extent instrumental to degrade the environment. However, the
poorer countries of the world including India cannot delay or ignore the need for
remedial measures, which are to be effectively implemented. We cannot gloss over

the fact that we have also contributed to the degradation of ecology; look at the
droughts and floods, disappearance of forests, high noise level and air pollution in the
cities which are our own creations.
Organically cultivated soils are relatively better attuned to withstand water stress and
nutrient loss. Their potential to counter soil degradation is high and several
experiments in arid areas reveal that organic farming may help to combat
desertification (Alam and Wani, 2003). It is reported that about 70 hectares of desert
in Egypt could be converted into fertile soil supporting livestock through organic and
biodynamic practices. India, which has some areas of semi-arid and arid nature, can
benefit from the experiment.
The organic agriculture movement in India received inspiration and assistance from
IFOAM which has about 600 organizational members from 120 countries. All India
Federation of Organic Farming (AIFOF) is a member of IFOAM and consists of a
number of NGOs, farmers' organisations, promotional bodies and institutions. The national productivity of
many of the cereal crops, millets, oilseeds, pulses and
horticultural crops continues to be one of the lowest in the world in spite of the green
revolution. The fertilizer and pesticide consumption has increased manifold; but this
trend has not been reflected in the crop productivity to that extent. The country's
farming sector has started showing indications of reversing the rising productivity as
against the increasing trend of input use.
The unsustainability of Indian agriculture is caused by the modern farming methods
which have badly affected/damaged production resources and the environment.
METHODS OF ORGANIC FARMING
"An organic farm, properly speaking, is not one that uses certain methods and
substances and avoids others; it is a farm whose structure is formed in imitation of the
structure of a natural system that has the integrity, the independence and the benign
dependence of an organism"
Wendell Berry, "The Gift of Good Land"
Soil management
Plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as well as micronutrients, but getting
enough nitrogen, and particularly synchronization so that plants get enough nitrogen
at the right time (when plants need it most), is likely the greatest challenge for organic
farmers. Crop rotation and green manure ("cover crops") help to provide nitrogen
through legumes (more precisely, theFabaceae family) which fix nitrogen from the
atmosphere through symbiosis with the bacteria rhizobia. Intercropping, which is
sometimes used for insect and disease control, can also increase soil nutrients, but the
competition between the legume and the crop can be problematic and wider spacing
between crop rows is required. Crop residues can be ploughed back into the soil, and
different plants leave different amounts of nitrogen, potentially aiding
synchronization. Organic farmers also use animal manure(which must be composted),
certain processed fertilizers such as seed meal and various mineral powders such
as rock phosphateand greensand, a naturally occurring form of potash which provides
potassium. Altogether these methods help to control erosion. In some cases pH may
52
need to be amended. Natural pH amendments include lime and sulfur, but in the U.S.
some synthetically compounds such as iron sulfate, aluminum sulfate,magnesium
sulfate, and soluble boron products are allowed in organic farming.
Mixed farms with both livestock and crops can operate as ley farms, whereby the land
gathers fertility through growing nitrogen-fixing forage grasses such as white
clover or alfalfa and grows cash crops or cereals when fertility is established. Farms
without livestock ("stockless") may find it more difficult to maintain fertility, and
may rely more on external inputs such as imported manure as well as grain legumes

and green manures, although grain legumes may fix limited nitrogen because they are
harvested. Horticultural farms growing fruits and vegetables which operate in
protected conditions are often even more reliant upon external inputs.
Weed control
After nutrient supply, weed control is the second priority for farmers. Techniques for
controlling weeds have varying levels of effectiveness and include
handweeding, mulch, corn gluten meal, a natural preemergence herbicide, flame,
garlic and clove oil, borax, pelargonic acid, solarization (which involves spreading
clear plastic across the ground in hot weather for 46 weeks), vinegar, and various
other homemade remedies. One recent innovation in rice farming is to introduce
ducks and fish to wet paddy fields, which eat both weeds and insects.
Controlling other organisms
Organisms aside from weeds which cause problems include arthropods (e.g. insects,
mites) and nematodes. Fungi and bacteria can cause disease.
Insect pests are a common problem, and insecticides, both non-organic and organic,
are controversial due to their environmental and health effects. One way to manage
insects is to ignore them and focus on plant health, since plants can survive the loss of
about a third of leaf area before suffering severe growth consequences. To avoid using
insecticides, one can select naturally-resistant plants, put bags around the plants,
remove dying material such as leaves, fruit, and diseased plants, covering plants with
53
a solid barrier ("row cover"), hosing, encouraging and releasing beneficial
organisms and beneficial insects, planting companion plants and polycultures, various
traps, sticky cards (which can also be used to assess insect prevalence), and season
extension. Biological pest control uses natural predators to control pests.
Recommended beneficial insects include minute pirate bugs, big-eyed bugs, and to a
lesser extentladybugs (which tend to fly away), all of which eat a wide range of
pests. Lacewings are also effective, but tend to fly away. Praying mantis tend to move
slower and eat less heavily.Parasitoid wasps tend to be effective for their selected
prey, but like all small insects can be less effective outdoors because the wind
controls their movement. Predatory mites are effective for controlling mites.
Several of pesticides approved for organic use have been called green pesticides such
as spinosad and neem. Generally, but not necessarily, organic pesticides are safer and
more environmentally friendly than synthetic pesticides. The main organic
insecticides used in the US are Bt (a bacterial toxin) and pyrethrum. Surveys have
found that fewer than 10% of organic farmers use these pesticides regularly; one
survey found that only 5.3% of vegetable growers in California use rotenone while
1.7% use pyrethrum (Lotter 2003:26). Rotenone used to be used by some organic
growers in the US, however since 2005 it has not been approved by National Organic
Program guidelines. Nicotine sulfate may also be used; although it breaks down
quickly, it is extremely toxic, nearly as toxic as aldicarb. Less toxic but still effective
organic insecticides include neem, spinosad, soaps, garlic, citrus
oil, capsaicin(repellent), Bacillus popillae, Beauvaria bassiana, and boric
acid. Pesticides should be rotated to minimize pest resistance.
The first disease control strategy involves keeping the area clean by removing
diseased and dying plants and ensure that the plants are healthy by maintaining water
and fertilization. Compost tea is sometimes promoted and can be effective, but there
is concern over whether these are ineffective or even harmful when not made
correctly. Polyculture and crop rotation reduce the ability of disease to spread.
Disease-resistant cultivars can be purchased. Organic fungicides include the bacteria
Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus, and Trichoderma harzianum which are mainly
effective for diseases affecting roots. Bordeaux mix contains copper, which can be

54
used as an organic fungicide in various forms. Sulfur is effective against fungus as
well as some insects. Lime sulfur is also available, but can damage plants if not used
correctly. Potassium and sodium bicarbonate are also effective against fungus.
Standards
Standards regulate production methods and in some cases final output for organic
agriculture. Standards may be voluntary or legislated. As early as the 1970s organic
producers could be voluntarily certified by private associations. In the 1980s,
governments began to produce organic production guidelines. Beginning in the 1990s,
a trend toward legislation of standards began, most notably with the 1991 EU-Ecoregulation
developed for European Union, which set standards for 12 countries, and a
1993 UK program. The EU's program was followed by a Japan program in 2001, and
in 2002 the United States created the National Organic Program (NOP). As of 2007
over 60 countries have regulations on organic farming (IFOAM 2007:11). In 2005
IFOAM created the Principles of Organic Agriculture, an international guideline for
certification criteria. Typically the agencies do not certify individual farms, but rather
accredit certification groups.
Materials used in organic production and foods are tested independently by
the Organic Materials Review Institute.
Composting
Under USDA organic standards, manure must be subjected to proper thermophilic
composting and allowed to reach a sterilizing temperature. If raw animal manure is
used, 120 days must pass before the crop is harvested if the final product comes into
direct contact with the soil. For products which do not come into direct contact with
soil, 90 days must pass prior to harvest.
55
Organic food
Organic food does not 'cost the earth' to grow. It should not also cost consumers 'the
earth' to eat. At the same time however, assuming that the ruling market prices for
conventionally-grown food are fair, it is only correct that an organic farmer should
receive at least a marginally higher price for his produce and his efforts, especially
when consumers are aware that organic food is better than chemically-grown food in
all respects, including taste, flavour and for their own health, besides that of the earth.

Industry Statistics and Projected Growth

Industry Statistics and Projected Growth
The organic industry continues to grow worldwide. Here are some statistics regarding
this burgeoning market.
Organic food sales are anticipated to increase an average of 18 percent each
year from 2007 to 2010.
Representing approximately 2.8 percent of overall food and beverage sales in
2006, this continues to be a fast growing sector, growing 20.9 percent in 2006.

Organic non-food sales grew 26 percent in 2006.

The sales of larger grocery natural food stores combined with smaller
independent natural food stores and chains accounts for 44 percent of organic
food and beverage sales. Mass merchandisers and club stores, food service,
internet/mail order and farmers markets represent 8 percent, 4 percent, 2.2
percent, and 2 percent of organic food sales, respectively.
Nearly 30.4 million hectares were managed organically by more than 700,000
56
farms in 138 countries in 2006, according to The World of Organic
Agriculture: Statistics & Emerging Trends 2008 report released in February

2008 by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements

(IFOAM), The Foundation Ecology & Agriculture (SL), and the Research
Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL). That figure represents 0.65 percent of
the total agricultural land of the countries covered by the survey.
As in previous years, Australia led with the most organic land (12.3 million
hectares), followed by China (2.3 million hectares) and Argentina (2.2 million
hectares). The United States was fourth, with 1.6 million hectares in 2005
(latest available statistics). The ten countries with the most organic land
represented a combined total of nearly 24 million hectares, more than three
quarters of the worlds organic land. Other countries in the top ten were Italy,
Uruguay, Spain, Brazil, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Based on
distribution by continent, Oceania led with 42 percent of organic area,
followed by Europe (24 percent), Latin America (16 percent), Asia (20
percent), North America (7 percent), and Africa (1 percent).
The proportion of organically managed land to conventionally managed is
highest in countries in Europe.
Global demand for organic products continues to grow, with sales increasing
by over $5 billion a year, according to The World of Organic Agriculture:
Statistics & Emerging Trends 2008. It cited Organic Monitor estimates that
international sales reached $38.6 billion dollars in 2006, double that in 2000.
The most important import markets for organic products continue to be the
European Union, the United States, and Japan.
New research from The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) released in 2008
reveals that consumers are increasingly incorporating organic into their
lifestyles. Total household penetration across six product categories has risen
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from 57 percent in 2006 to 59 percent in 2007. The research also showed that
the number of core users has increased from 16 percent in 2006 to 18 percent
in2007
According to the National Restaurant Associations 2007 Restaurant Industry
Forecast, chefs ranked organic food as third on a list of the top 20 items for
2007. Also, more than half of fine-dining operators who serve organic food
anticipated these items would represent a larger portion of sales in 2007. In
addition, casual- and family-dining operators expected organic items to
represent a larger proportion of their sales in 2007.
Growth
As of 2001, the estimated total market value of certified organic products was
estimated to be $20 billion. By 2002 this was $23 billion and by 2007 more than $46
billion according toOrganic Monitor (Willer/Kilcher 2009).
In recent years both Europe (2007: 7.8 million hectares/European Union: 7.2 million
hectares) and North America (2007: 2.2 million hectares) have experienced strong
growth in organic farmland. However, this growth has occurred under different
conditions. While the European Union has shifted agricultural subsidies to organic
farmers in recognition of its environmental benefits, the United States has taken a free
market approach. As a result, as of 2007 4 percent of the European Union's farmland
was organically managed compared to just 0.6 percent of United States farmland
(Willer/Kilcher 2009).
IFOAM's most recent edition of The World of Organic Agriculture: Statistics and
Emerging Trends 2009 lists the countries which had the most hectares in 2007. The
country with the most organic land is Australia with more than 12 million hectares,
followed by Argentina, Brasil and the US. In total 32.2 million hectares were under
organic management in 2007. For 1999 11 million hectares of organically managed

58
land are reported (Willer/Kilcher 2009).
In recent years organic agriculture has grown tremendously. Considering this rapid
growth, it is within the nature of organic farming to keep it from becoming a large
scale industrial business as conventional farming has become (Duram 183). Duram,
Leslie. Good Growing. Santa Cruz: Bison Books, 2005.

Economics
The economics of organic farming, a subfield of agricultural economics, encompasses
the entire process and effects of organic farming in terms of human society,
including social costs,opportunity costs, unintended consequences, information
asymmetries, and economies of scale. Although the scope of economics is broad,
agricultural economics tends to focus on maximizing yields and efficiency at the farm
level. Mainstream economics takes an anthropocentric approach to the value of the
natural world: biodiversity, for example, is considered beneficial only to the extent
that it is valued by people and increases profits. Some governments such as the
European Union subsidize organic farming, in large part because these countries
believe in the external benefits of reduced water use, reduced water contamination by
pesticides and nutrients of organic farming, reduced soil erosion, reduced carbon
emissions, increased biodiversity, and assorted other benefits.
Organic farming is labor and knowledge-intensive whereas conventional farming is
capital-intensive, requiring more energy and manufactured inputs. Organic farmers in
California have cited marketing as their greatest obstacle.
Geographic producer distribution
The markets for organic products are strongest in North America and Europe, which
as of 2001 are estimated to have $6 and $8 billion respectively of the $20 billion
market. However, as of 2007 organic farmland is distributed across the
globe. Australasia has 39% of the total organic farmland with Australia's 11.8 million
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hectares, but 97 percent of this land is sprawling rangeland, which results in total sales
of approximately 5% of US sales. Europe has 23 percent of total organic farmland
(6.9 million hectares), followed by Latin America with 19 percent (5.8 million
hectares). Asia has 9.5 percent while North America has 7.2 percent. Africa has a
mere 3 percent. See also Organic farming by country.
Besides Australia, the countries with the most organic area are Argentina (3.1 million
hectares), China (2.3 million hectares), and the United States (1.6 million hectares).
Much of Argentina's organic farmland is pasture, like that of Australia (2007:42).
Italy, Spain, Germany, Brazil, Uruguay, and the UK follow the United States by the
amount of land managed organically.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Organic farming is less productive
Agronomically difficult crops as a challenge
One major criticism of organic agriculture is that productivity is lower compared to
intensive conventional agriculture. Under geoclimatic conditions that allow for a very
high yield, in the case of some crops the relative advantage of organic agriculture in
terms of energy consumption per land area compared to conventional production may
switch to the contrary when calculated on the basis of crop or livestock yield. This is
particularly true in the case of highly demanding crops such as potatoes, grapes fruits
and horticultural crops especially from greenhouse production (Nemecek et al. 2005,
Bos et al 2006, Comrack 2003). Pest, disease and weed management problems
relating to these crops have not yet been resolved satisfactorily. Consequently, the
yield for these crops is too low and the energy input, even though relatively low on a
land area basis, becomes relatively high when applied to a crop unit. With more

research into organic agriculture, however, progress may be expected in this field.
Better technology transfer could improve organic yields
The productivity of organic agriculture is often underestimated by many scientists and
policymakers. Organic agriculture represents a very productive food supply system
that relies on recycling strategies. Badgley et al. (2007) modelled the yields stated in
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293 on-farm and onstation publications and concluded that, compared to high-input
agriculture in developed countries, the average yields in organic crop and livestock
production are 92% of those in conventional agriculture.
Organic farming performs better under water constraints
Interestingly, yields from organic agriculture under conditions where water is limited
during the growing period, and under subsistence farming, are equal or significantly
higher than those from conventional agriculture. A comparison of 133 studies from
developing countries concluded that organic plant and livestock yields were 80%
higher than their conventional counterparts (for crops only the increase in yield was
by 74%) (Badgley et al., 2007). In temperate climate zones higher yields for maize
and soya were registered in organically managed fields in dry seasons (Hepperly et
al., 2005). The available data indicates that the technique inherent to organic farming
of investing in soil fertility by means of green manure, leguminous intercropping,
composting and recycling of livestock manure could contribute considerably to global
food productivity. Further improvements in manure storage and application
techniques are also required, however, in organic systems in order to reduce nitrous
oxide and methane emissions.
High dependency on nutrients derived from livestock
Some critics are concerned about the dependency of organic cropping upon nutrients
deriving from livestock. This criticism, however, underestimates manure as a valuable
and potentially useful resource. Moreover, this is not a relevant weakness since the
numbers of animals kept in agriculture depends mainly on consumer demand. In order
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, efficient and direct recycling of manure and
slurry is the best option, since it avoids long-distance transport and consumption of
energy for
synthetic fertilizer production. The combination of crop and livestock production is
currently the most efficient way of bringing organic waste from livestock production
back into the carbon stock of the soils and use it as a locally available resource for
crop fertilization and enhancing soil quality. When integrated into arable farming
systems, ruminants exploit leguminous crops and intercrops that are needed to
61
produce nitrogen, provide soil cover and capture soluble nutrients, building up soil
fertility and soil structure. From the point of view of integrating ecology and
sustainable resource use, the combination of organic cropping with livestock
production is undoubtedly a strong point.
More funding is needed for research on organic farming
As 99 % of the worlds public and private research funds have focussed on optimizing
conventional and integrated food and farming systems during the last decades, major
progress and solutions can be expected as a result of agro-ecological and animal
welfare research activities.
Myths and fallacies about organic farming
There are a number of fallacies that surround organic farming, both in favour of and
against. Some of the more common ones are :
Yields in organic farming are lower than chemical farming
Not so. When properly followed, yields in organic farming are, in the long run, far
greater than those obtained by chemical farming. In horticulture crops, the effects are

even better. A look at agriculture in Punjab will tell the full story. The origin of the
"Green Revolution", Punjab's agricultural yields have remained the same for the past
many years while the quantity of agro-chemicals required to maintain these static
yields have steadily increased.
In the case of a chemical farm converting to organic however, there is often a loss in
yield and it takes a few years before yields increase and stabilise at a level often
higher than that achieved under a chemical regime. It is therefore recommended to
convert gradually over a period of three to four years if income from the farm is a key
issue.
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Organic farming is not economical
Again, not so. While certain practices such as composting and mulching do entail
greater costs on account of labour, the overall cost of cultivation is usually lower than
chemical farming. An important point to note here is that the farmer has to be selfsufficient
in his requirement for composts and pest control measures (easily done),
otherwise economics do get skewed. Farms and farmers who would like to make their
own inputs may read "Making your own organic farming inputs".
You can't supply enough nutrients by using composts
This is a common argument put to use by all detractors of organic farming, especially
academicians. If one calculates the percentages of nitrogen, potassium and
phosphorous in fertilisers and composts, the difference is indeed vast. Going by these
"scientific" calculations, one may find that in lieu of say 200 kgs. of mixed fertilisers,
one needs over 30 tons of composts, fairly impossible to supply two or three times a
year. In organic farming however, the concept of feeding the plant does not exist. The
attempt here is to feed the soil, keep it healthy and living and keep a PROCESS in
motion. Much of the work is done by the numerous soil organisms and
microorganisms that thrive in "living" soils. The various practices of organic farming
ensure that soil fertility is maintained and this symbiotic relationship is kept alive and
vibrant. The analogy we can think of is meeting your day's entire nutritional
requirements (calculated for you by a dietician) by swallowing a few tablets and
capsules. Your nutritional needs are met, but will you remain healthy?
The non-use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides is organic farming (or the use
of organic manures is organic farming)
The last important myth is that simply avoiding the use of chemical fertilisers and
pesticides is organic farming. That is not so. While organic farming is all about
maintaining soil health ("feeding the soil" rather than "feeding the plant"), it entails
producing the highest yields possible, in a sustainable, eco-friendly manner using a
number of techniques. Indeed, for any agriculture system to succeed, it must take a
63
responsibility towards feeding the earth. Organic farming entails a lot of hard
work and even systems like Do-nothing (or Natural) farming - as propagated by
Fukuoka and used so effectively by Bhaskar Save at his Gujarat farm - entail
tremendous understanding of nature, natural agriculture, the local ecosystem and
require a little hard work even though the name may suggest otherwise! You
may learn about many techniques that can be used by an organic farmer in the section
on organic farming techniques.
External inputs, even if eco-friendly or bio-degradable are ecologically questionable
and commercially unsustainable for an organic farm. Work is hence required on-farm
to produce inputs such as composts and biopesticides. Farms and farmers who would
like to make their own inputs may read "Making your own organic farming inputs".
PROGRESS OF ORGANIC FARMING IN INDIA
The first conference of NGOs on organic farming in India was organized by the

Association for Propagation of Indigenous Genetic Resources (APIGR) in October

1984 at Wardha. Several other meetings on organic farming were held at different
places in the country towards the end of 1980s. Here, mention must be made of the
Bordi Conference in Maharashtra, the state which was the focal point for the organic
farming movement in India. The Rajasthan College of Agriculture with the support of
the state government organized a meeting on organic agriculture in 1992. The United
Planters' Association of South India (UPASl) organised two national level
conferences on organic farming in 1993 and 1995. ARISE (Agricultural Renewal in
India for a Sustainable Environment) is a major organization in the country engaged
in the promotion of organic farming. ARISE was founded in 1995 at a national
conference of organic farming held at Auroville. ARISE comprises of a supporting
network of regional groups aiming at sustainable environment by protecting biodiversity
and promoting organic agricultural practices. The selection of Auroville for
the conference was apt as it housed the Arabindo Ashram and the pioneering work
under its auspices on building technology, alternative energy research, wasteland
development, afforestation and organic agriculture.
By 1980, three groups of Indians had taken to organic farming. The first one
consisted of urban educated technocrats for peripheral interest, which did not last
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long. Educated farmers consisted of the second group whose farming practices were
based on scientific knowledge. The third group practiced organic farming through
trial and error. The successful organic farmers in India are those who have access to
sufficient natural resources like, water and other organic inputs mostly on their own
farms. These farms produce crops like sugarcane, areca, cocoa, coconut, pepper and
spices. Many of them have shown that switch over to organic farming do not affect
yields and income and more importantly, knowledge/ expertise is available for
successful adoption of organic farming in the country.
The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) estimates
that an area of about 41,000 hectares in India is under organic farming representing
about 0.17 per cent of the world organic acreage. It also reveals that the percentage of
organic area to the total cultivated area comes to only about 0.03 per cent and the
total number of farms comes to about 5,661. But, a comparison of our 41,000 ha to
Australia (10.5 million ha), Argentina (3.19 million ha], Italy (1.83 million ha), and
USA (0.95 million ha) clearly indicates that organic farming in India has to go very
far even to catch up with that of the leading nations of the world.
Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are spearheading organic farming in India.
A report in 2002 indicates that about 14,000 tonnes of organic products have been
raised in India. They include tea, coffee, rice, wheat, pulses, fruits, spices and
vegetables. India exports organic agricultural produces to European Union, USA,
Canada, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Japan, Singapore and Australia, among others.
The International Conference on "Indian Organic Products-Global Markets" at the
end of 2002 was the first to be held in India. IFOAM predicts that India and China
have great potential to be organic farm produce exporters in the future. An important
event in the history of the modern nascent organic farming in India was the unveiling
of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) on 8"^ May, 2000 and
the subsequent Accreditation and Certification Programme on P' October, 2001. The
logo "India Organic" was released on 26'*' July 2002 to support the NPOP.
Progress
An important progress towards organic agriculture made by India is the increasing
awareness of the ill effects of the modern farming system, which the country adopted
65
about 35 years ago. The threat poised by the conventional food products to the human

health and the damage done to the ecology are being viewed seriously. Efforts are
made to produce healthy foods and the demand. for them is increasing. The
importance of the marketing of the organic products is highlighted for the promotion
of organic agriculture. Several individuals and associations have taken to organic
farming and organic products are available in the large cities to a very limited extent.
Production and Exports
The aggregate production of organic agriculture came to about 14,000 tonnes during
2002 and the exports amounted to 11,925 tonnes. Details are given in Table 10:
Exports of Organic Products from India
2002.
Products Tonnes
Tea 3000
Rice 2500
Pulses and Vegetables 1800
Cotton 1200
Wheat 1150
Spices 700
Coffee 550
Cashew nut 375
Pulses 300
Herbal products 250
Oil seeds 100
Total 11925
66
Indian organic products are mainly exported to Europe (Netherlands, United
Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, etc.), USA,
Canada, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Japan, Singapore, Australia and South Africa.
Regulations
The most important step towards organic farming taken by the government was to
draw a regulatory framework. It is true that the initiatives by the government to
introduce organic farming by laying down regulations came belatedly as many
countries have already done this kind of basic work decades ago. The implementation
of NPOP is ensured by the formulation of the National Accreditation Policy and
Programme (NAPP). The regulations make it mandatory that all organic certification
bodies should be accredited by an Accreditation Agency. The international
certification agencies operating in India even prior to these regulations will also have
to get accreditation under the new dispensation.
The regulations lay down the institutional arrangements for implementing the
national programme for organic production. The NPOP is administered, monitored
and implemented for the benefit of farmers, processors, traders and consumers. It
envisages a three tiered organisation under the overall guidance of the Union
Government with the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
as the nodal agency. Policy making and declaration of the standards for organic
products, recognition of organic standards of other nations, efforts to get our
standards recognized by others and coordination with other arms of the government
for the successful management of the organic agriculture are the major functions
entrusted to the ministry.
The agencies accredited are the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export
Development Authority (APEDA), Coffee Board, Tea Board and the Spices Board.
The regulations cover exports, imports and the domestic trade of the organic
products. But the government regulations are applicable to only the exports. So, an
organic farm product can be exported only if it is certified by a certification body

accredited for the purpose. The categories of products covered under accreditation are
organic crop production, organic animal production, organic processing operations,
wild products and forestry.
67
A national level steering committee is functioning as the apex advisory body for
assisting the government to promote organic farming in the country. This body
consists of representative's form the Ministries of Agriculture, Food Processing
Industries, Forests and Environment, Science and Technology, Rural Development
and Commerce.
Organic production requires certification after periodic inspections in order to ensure
that all prescribed practices are followed. The inspection and certification are done by
the agencies accredited to the Accrediting Agencies dealing with the commodity.
Inspection and certification agencies can be government departments, NGOs, trade or
consumer or producer organisations. Such agencies should be registered bodies, with
managements in position, declaring the persons who shall be held responsible for any
miscarriage of certification and having proof of adequate field staff to undertake
periodic inspections. The continued accreditation of such bodies is dependent upon
their record of fidelity to the principles of organic production. They are authorised to
award certificates after due satisfaction that practices conformed to those enunciated
by the Accrediting Agency in relation to the item concerned. The charges levied by
the certifying agencies are fixed by the Accrediting Agencies.
PROCEDURE FOR STARTING
STANDARDS
At present, there are no regulations on organic products applicable worldwide.
Attempts have been made by FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission to
harmonies the laws and to establish an international procedure to develop the
equivalence of organic standards. Two international agencies IFOAM and Codex
Alimentarius Commission are the prime players in farming standards. In the EC,
regulation EEC 2092/91 determines the minimum requirements for organic farming in
all the member states. It contains standards for production, processing, imports,
inspection and certification, marketing and labeling of organic products.
In India, the National Program for Organic Production (NPOP) provides an institutional framework for
implementing standards for organic production system. This includes certification of organic farms,
products and processes as per National Standards of Organic Products (NSOP).

68
ACCRIDITATION
As per the national accreditation policy under the National Program for Organic
Production (NPOP) being implemented by the Government of India through the
Ministry of Commerce, all the certifying agencies operating in the country have to
obtain accreditation from anyone for the four accrediting agencies appointed by the
Government of India, viz., Spices Board, Coffee Board, Tea Board and APEDA for
spices, coffee, tea and other agricultural crops.
CERTIFICATION
Certification tracks and controls the flow of products from primary production at farm
level to each stage of manufacturing right to the final product that reaches the
consumer. Broadly, the certification process consists of (a) inspection (control) to
verify that production and handling are carried out in accordance with standards
against which certification is to be done and (b) Certification to confirm that
production and handling conforms to standards. The documents to be maintained
include field map, field history sheet, activity register, input record, output record,
harvest record, storage record, sales record, pest control record, movement record,
equipments cleaning records and labeling records.

Research and Training

A National Institute for Organic Farming has been established to spearhead research
in organic agriculture. The government of India constituted task force had also
recommended the initiation of the postgraduate level courses in organic farming.
Projects and Initiatives
Several projects and initiatives to promote organic farming in the country have begun
at the behest of individuals and institutions. The following are only a few of such
efforts the details which could be available.
A project aided by the World Bank to empower the rural communities in the country
to grow organic products for exports had come up in 2002. The programme aims at
the improvement and promotion of organic production of spices, certification and
69
export of black pepper, white pepper, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, clove, nutmeg and
herbals like rosemary, thyme, oregano and parsley. The implementation of the
progamme is done by the NGOs, and Idukki and Waynad districts of Kerala, Nilgiri
district of Tamil Nadu and Kandhamal district of Orissa are the areas selected for the
purpose. Imparting training to both the JNTGOs and the farmers on organic
production methods, basic standards required, documentation, inspection and
certification is a major objective of the programme. The assistance to NGOs includes
among others computer hardware and software especially for market promotion of
their produces.
PROSPECTS
It is quite natural that a change in the system of agriculture in a country of more than
a billion people should be a well thought out process, which requires utmost care and
caution. There may be several impediments on the way. An understanding of these
problems and prospects will go a long way in decision making.
Indian agriculture should be able not only to maintain but also must strive to increase
the production of foodgrains. It appears that given the availability of organic
infrastructure, minimum efforts for conversion due to the low use of chemical farming
methods and the limit of the public investment, organic farming can be progressively
introduced. The potential areas and crops, which fulfill the above constraints, could be
explored and brought under organic agriculture. The rainfed, tribal, north-east and
hilly regions of India where the traditional farming is more or less practiced could be
considered (Veeresh, 2003). Given below are details of fertilizer consumption in the
north-east and hilly regions of the country.
70
Consumption of Fertilizer in India in 2001-02.
Sr. No. State/Region Quantity (kg/ha)
1 Manipur 105
2 Jammu and Kashmir 65
3 Himachal Pradesh 41
4 Assam 39
5 Tripura 30
6 Meghalaya 17
7 Mizoram 14
8 Sikkim 10
9 Arunachal Pradesh 3
10 Nagaland 2
11 Rainfed Areas 31
All India 90
Agriculture production in these areas is still almost on the traditional eco-friendly
lines and making the farmers aware of the methods of organic farming may not be

very difficult.
A strategy to prevent sudden and substantial yield losses is to convert to organic
production in phases to reduce the risks during the initial years. The question of the
vast requirement of organic matter to the country's farms in order to switch over to
organic agriculture is also answered. Chemical fertilizer is applied only in 30 per cent
of the cultivated area, which is irrigated, and the remaining land is under rainfed
agriculture with almost no fertilizer application. Also the rainfed area under
cultivation accounts for only 40 per cent of the foodgrain production of the country
(Veeresh, 2003). The introduction of organic farming in these areas will allay the
fears of a sudden sharp decline of food production which many fear may drive the
nation to food imports. Thus the demand for biomass for the production of organic
manures can also be controlled in a phased manner. Moreover, the simple
technologies with low input use have been developed for dry farming and they can be
transferred to the farms for organic cultivation. The resulting increases in productivity
and sustain-ability of production will increasingly contribute to the betterment of the
71
economic condition of the dry land faming community, which is one of the poorest in
the country.
An estimate indicates that about 600 to 700 million tonnes of biomass is available to
be converted to manure. Such conversion increases the nutrient value from 0.3-04 to
1-2 per cent. Attempts can also be made to increase the supply of biomass by
allocating a portion of the cultivated area to grow tree manure crops. These plants can
be harvested to be used for making composts. Schemes can be devised to grow green
manure crops in the public lands on the lines of the social forestry programmes.
Several alternatives for supply of organic soil nutrients like vermi-composts and
biofertilizers exist. Technologies have been developed to produce large quantities of
these nutrients. Crop specific biofertilizers for cereals, millets, pulses and oil seeds
are also available. Vermi- composting and bio-fertilizer manufacturing can be
undertaken to increase the supply of organic manure to meet the demand.
The basic rules and regulations for accreditation and certification of organic products
are in place in India.
A Congenial socio-cultural environment prevails in India for the promotion of
organic agriculture. The farmers of India had been practicing eco-friendly agriculture
for centuries till the advent of the 'green revolution' which was based on the
conventional farming methods prevailed in the western countries. Still many small
and marginal farmers, because of many reasons, have not fully adopted the
conventional farming and they follow more or less the traditional environment
friendly system. They use local or own farm derived renewable resources and
manage self-regulated ecological and biological processes. This has become
necessary to cultivate the acceptable levels of crop, livestock and human nutrition
products and above all to protect both the crops and humans from pests and diseases
through the use of bio-chemicals and bio fertilizers. Such a situation is suitable for
making the farming community aware of the organic farming methods to make the
switch over less troublesome.
A country like India can enjoy a number of benefits from the adoption of organic
farming. The price premiums for the products, conservation of the natural resources
in terms of improved soil fertility and water quality, prevention of soil erosion,
preservation of natural and agro-biodiversity are major benefits. Economic and social
72
benefits like generation of rural employment, lower urban migration, improved
household nutrition, local food security and reduced dependence on external inputs
will be large gains in the Indian conditions. The protection of environment and the

consequent increase in the quality of human life will be other contributions of organic
farming.
As said earlier, there is a good demand for organic products in the domestic market,
which is not matched by supplies. The linkages between the two do not exist which in
turn discourage production. The wholesalers/traders play a major role in the
distribution of organic produces as they originate from the small farms (Kumar and
Jain, 2003). Large farmers have access to supermarkets and own stalls for
distribution. Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkota, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderbad are the
major domestic markets for organic products.
Prospects for organic farming in India can be gauged from the earlier mentioned
experiences of soyabean cultivation initiated in Madhya Pradesh. High premium
prices both in the national and international markets and the lack of supplies in the
latter reveal the opportunities for India. Similarly the case of organic cotton of India
is judged as having bright prospects.
73

CHAPTER FIVE
74
PRESENTATION OF THE BUSINESS PLAN
After the study and critical analysis of organic farming in India I have come to
conclude that it projects a vast scope of progress, welfare and development to the
farmers. However, one very important point to be noted is that it can be a very
troublesome and tedious task for any farmer to switch over from conventional farming
style to organic farming, as it takes at least 2 to 3 years for the soil exploited through
chemicals to adapt to the sustainable and organic methods. Moreover, the organic
produce, though it is very good in nutrients and for the health of a person, does not
finds a market and good price easily. Moreover, the rapid urbanization in the country
has resulted in the declining progress in the agricultural sector due to which the
current agricultural growth is at 4% where as the industrial growth rate is at 12% .To
minimize the gap between the two sectors we need investment in the agricultural
sector. These and various other problems can be tackled only through a pre-planed
process with the tendency to forecast the coming challenges. Through this project we
are planning to do the following things, which will ultimately result in overall growth
of the organic farming sector along with the improvement in the lifestyle of the
economically backward sector of the society.
1. We will take the agricultural lands on lease or some other feasible alternative
by discussing with the owners of the land.
2. We will invest money to build a good agricultural infrastructure viz irrigation,
power, modern equipments etc.
3. We will exploit the local unemployed villagers, train them in organic
farming and make them engage in production process.
4. We will recruit people from various agricultural schools and colleges to
improve this project and train local peoples
5. The production from the agricultural lands will be sold in the local market by
opening various outlets.
6. The project gradually will become Agricultural Park which can be a source
of a income by attracting the tourist and this is possible as government is now
more concerned about the rural tourism in India.
75
GENRAL INFORMATION
Name of the Entrepreneur: Mohammad Ali, Shantanu Singh, Rahul Shankar
Proposed Project : Organic Farming

Major Produce/Services : Agricultural Food Products

Proposed Location : ______________________
Type of Organization : Product as well as Service Oriented

ENTREPRENEUR PROFILE
Name of the Entrepreneur: MOHAMMAD ALI
Educational Qualifications: MBA- International Business, B.Com
Work Experience (if any): 1 year of farm management at owned farm.
Name of the Entrepreneur: RAHUL SHANKAR
Educational Qualifications: MBA- International Business, B.Com
Work Experience (if any) : 4.5 years in Sales, Marketing & Business Development
Name of the Entrepreneur: SHANTANU SINGH
Educational Qualifications: MBA- International Business, B.A. (English Literature)
Work Experience (if any): 2yrs in K.V.K. as Asst. Manager & Marketing Designer
76
PRODUCTION DETAILS
1.1 LAND AND BUILDING
Sr.no Particular Area Required Total Cost Remarks
1. Land 500000sq.ft 100000 The Land shall
be taken on
lease basis.
Total: 100000
1.2 MACHINERIES/EQUIPMENTS
Sr.No Description Nos. Required Rate(Rs) Total
Value(Rs.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Tractor
Pipes
Water Pump
Computers/Laptop
10
200
5
5
100000
1000
5000
30000
1000000
200000
25000
150000
Total 1375000
77
1.3 MISC. FIXED ASSETS
Sr.No Particulars Nos. Required Rate(Rs) Total
Value(Rs.)
1. Furnitures As required 5000 5000
Total: 5000
1.4 PRELIMINARY AND PRE-OPERATIVE EXPENSES

Sr.No Particulars Amount(Rs.) Remarks

1.
2.
3.
Interest During
Implementation
Establishment
Expenses
Start-up Expenses
70000
200000
250000
This may vary
during the time of
execution.
Total: 520000
1.5 WORKING CAPITAL
Sr.No Item Rs.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Raw-Material
Salary/Labor
Rent
Interest on Loan
300000
1344000
24000
70000
Total: 1738000
78
2. MARKETING POTENTIAL
2.1 Present Demand and Supply of the Product Competition
Sale value per annum = Rs. 3600000
Production Capacity per Annum = 9000 units
2.2 Target Clients:
All classes of Indian Family
2.3 Marketing Strategy:
This type of production of food items is new to the state of PQR(Product Quality
Research). As we have no competitors competing with us at this level of production
there will be not much threat for marketing but at the same time we cannot ignore the
potential threats in the markets so we have to advertise the products to retain the
existing customer base.
3. MANUFACTURING PROCESS
3.1 Step-By-Step Description of the Manufacturing Process
1. Proper tilling of the entire land area.
2. Dividing the entire land area into smaller land areas of equal size.
3. Proper watering of the entire land area.
4. Proper spraying of seeds over the sub areas.
5. Spraying of organic composts and manures.
6. Day to day maintenance of the crops.

7. Control of pests and weeds through organic methods.

8. Harvest at proper time.
9. Process the produced crop.
10. Proper Storage and packaging of the crops.
79
3.2 POLLUTION CONTROL:
The govt. accords utmost importance to control environmental pollution. The small
scale entrepreneurs should have an environmental friendly attitude and adopt
pollution control measures by process modification and technology substitution.
Organic farming plays a major role towards this process.
3.3 ENERGY CONSERVATION:
While the growing energy needs and shortage coupled with rising energy costs, a
greater thrusts in energy efficiency in every sector has been given by the govt. of
India since 1980s. The following steps shall be taken for conservation of electrical
energy :
1. Adoption of energy conserving technologies, production aids and testing
facilities.
2. Efficient management of process, manufacturing machineries and for yielding
maximum energy conservation.
3. Periodical maintenance of motors etc.
4. Use of renewable energy sources like sun and wind energy.
80
4. PRODUCTION SCHEDULE
4.1 No. of working days per Annum : 25 days/month*12=300 days/annum
4.2 No. of working shifts (8 hrs) per Day : 300*8=2400hrs
4.3 Installed Capacity (Annual) : 9000 units
4.4 Utilized Capacity (%) : Our project is under observation for 1
year
5.1 SALES REVENUE
Sr. No Item(s) Quantity Sold
Per Year
Rate Per
Unit(Rs)
Sales
Realization(Rs)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Paddy
Wheat
Vegetables
Cereals
3000
2000
1000
2000
300
400
1000
450
900000

800000
1000000
900000
Total: 3600000
5.2 RAW MATERIALS
Sr.No Item(s) Quantity Rate(Rs) Total
Value(Rs)
1.
2.
3.
High Quality
Seeds
Organic
composts
Manures
100 units
300 units
100 units
500/unit
700/unit
200/unit
50000
210000
20000
Total: 280000
5.3 UTILITIES
Sr.No Particulars Annual
Expenditure(Rs.)
Remarks
1.
2.
Power/Electricity
Water
50000
1000
This depends on
the consumption.
Total: 51000
82
5.4 SALARIES/WAGES
Sr.No Particulars No.s Wages/salaries
per Month(Rs.)
Annual
Expenses(Rs.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

8.
Skilled
Semi-Skilled/
Unskilled
Manager/engineer
Supervisor
Electrician
Store-keeper
Peon/watch-man
Marketing
Executive
10
30
1
4
1
1
2
1
3000
2000
5000
2500
1000
1000
1000
2500
360000
720000
60000
120000
18000
12000
24000
30000
Total: 50 1344000
5.5 REPAIRS AND MAINTAINANCE
Sr.No Particulars Amount(Rs.)
1.
2.
Electrical equipments
Piping network
1000
5000
83
5.6 SELLING AND DISTRIBUTION EXPENSES
Sr.No Particulars Amount(Rs.) Remarks
1.
2.
3.
Transportation and
consumables

Insurance
Consumable Stores
10000
4000
3000
These expenses has
been considered
under pre-operative
expenses
Total: 17000
5.7 ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
Sr.No Particulars Amount(Rs.) Remarks
1.
2.
3.
4.
Stationery & Printing
Post/Telephone/Telegrams
Entertainment expenses
Misc.
2000
3000
5000
4000
These expenses
depend on the
requirements of
the customers.
Total: 14000
5.8 INTREST
Year Outstanding
Loan
Amount(Rs)
Interest(Rs) Installment
(Rs)
Balance(Rs)
I. 1000000 70000 Nil 100000
84
5.9 DEPRECIATION
Sr.No Type of Asset Cost of Asset Expected Life Depreciation
1.
2.
Building
Machinery and
equipment
240000
1375000
1yrs
1yrs
2400
13750
85

6. TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT

Sr.No Particulars Total Value(Rs.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Fixed capital
(Total of Item
no.2.1,2.2,2.3)
Working Capital
Margin(Total of Item
no.2.5)
Preliminary and Preoperative
Expenses(Total
of item no 2.4)
Contingencies
1480000
1738000
520000
10000
Total 3748000
7. MEANS OF FINANCE
Sr.No Particulars Amount(Rs.) Remarks
1.
2.
3.
Own investment
Term Loan
Working Capital
Loan
1010000
1738000
1000000
The amount
required for the
entire project was
taken as loan and as
well as personal
investments.
Total: 3748000
86
8. PROFITABILITY PROJECTIONS
Sr.No Particulars Amount(Rs.)
A.
B.
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)
vii)

viii)
ix)
C.
D.
E.
Sale Realization
Cost of :
Raw Materials
Utilities
Salaries/wages
Repairs & Maintenance
Selling & Distribution
Administrative Expenses
Interest
Depreciation
Misc. expenses
Gross Profit/Loss(A-B)
Income-tax
Net Profit/loss
3600000
280000
51000
1344000
6000
17000
14000
70000
16150
5000
1796850
Nil
1796850
87

CHAPTER SIX
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
88
Conclusions
The ill effects of the conventional farming system are felt in India in terms of the
unsustainablity of agricultural production, environmental degradation, health and
sanitation problems, etc. Organic agriculture is gaining momentum as an alternative
method to the modern system. Many countries have been able to convert 2-10 per
cent of their cultivated areas into organic farming. The demand for organic products
is growing fast (at the rate of 20 per cent per annum in the major developed
countries).
It appears that India is lagging far behind in the adoption of organic farming. So far,
the only achievement seems to be the laying down of the National Standards for
Organic Production (NSOP) and the approval of 4 accreditation agencies (all
government bodies) whose expertise is limited to a few crops. The following are
some of the issues, which require attention at the government policy making levels if
we want to lay the spadework for the spread of organic agriculture in the country.
Substantial financial support by governments (Central, state and lower level

bodies) is absolutely necessary to promote organic farming. A major factor

behind the progress made by the major organic countries has been the very
liberal subsidies provided by the governments. In India, organic farmers do
not receive the benefits of government subsidies as they are targeted at the
conventional cultivation. Given the low risk bearing capacity, the need to
make the organic farming an attractive proposition at least during the initial
period, the likely prospect of loss of productivity for some time, and the nonexistence
of marketing channels for organic produces the financial support
must be adequate.
The suggestion to begin the introduction of organic farming in the north-east
region and in the dry farming areas of India is a well thought out proposition.
However, it should be remembered that these regions are inhabited by the
poorest and least advantaged groups whose dependence on agriculture for a
livelihood is total. A programme for organic agriculture in these areas must be
fully supported by the full compensation both in cash and kind to the farmers
89
in the event of the loss of production they would suffer till it reaches the levels
of the days prior to the adoption of organic farming. A fair, quick and efficient
delivery system for such assistance, perhaps by keeping the government
bureaucracy at a distance should also be in place beforehand.
Market development for the organic products is a crucial factor to promote
domestic sales. Supplies do not match the demand for organic products in the
country and the absence of proper links between the two has been pointed out
for the tardy growth of organic farming in the country. An important role of
the government in this direction is giving various supports to the producer and
consumer associations to market the products.
The producer organizations must be encouraged to get accredited for
inspection and certification in accordance with the NSOP. They can also have
own standards and even symbols. This may also reduce the costs of
certification besides the simplification of the process.
A vigorous campaign to highlight the benefits of organic farming against the
conventional system is essential to increase the awareness of the farmers and
consumers.
Identification of crops for cultivation on the organic farms is important. The
examples of soyabean in Madhya Pradesh and cotton in the rainfed areas could
be kept in view in the process.
90
ANNEXURE
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Search engines:
www.google.com
www.yahoo.com
Websites:
www.wikipedia.com
www.india-exports.com
www.indianportal.com
exim.indiamart.com
www.indianindustry.com
Books:
Chirunilium P, International Marketing.
News paper:
The economic times (29-12-09)

 Times of India (18-01-10)

91
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92