Marketing push for organic farming in NE

 Climate change impacts resulting in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events have posed tough challenges to sustainability of food production. Promotion of organic farming is a response to make agriculture climate-resilient by protecting ecosystem and capitalizing on the traditional knowledge. The Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) for eight states of the region and the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for rest of India are two centrally-sponsored schemes that are aimed at producing safe and healthy food, and improving soil health condition, among others. Demand and consumption of organic produces in the domestic and export markets are critical to achieving a key objective of economic empowerment of farmers engaged in organic farming of these two schemes. Information provided by the Central government in the Lok Sabha indicate the increase in the demand for chemical free produces in the international market. However, the lack of data on domestic consumption of organic produce makes it difficult to make a correct assessment of impact of the two centrally-sponsored schemes for promoting organic farming in the country. The government says that International Market Analysis Research and Consulting Group (IMARC Group), a leading advisor on management strategy and market research has projected that Indian organic food market is expected to exhibit a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 25.25% during 2022-2027. Achievements including expansion of area under organic farming covered by the two schemes indicate the share of this market potential which farmers in the Northeast and rest of India can expect to tap. Official data shows that under MOVCDNER, 1.73 lakh ha area has been covered under organic farming, 379 Farmer Producer Organisation/Farmers Producer Company involving 1.89 lakh farmers in Northeast region and Rs 886 crore have been released since the launching of the scheme in 2015-16. Under PKVY which was also launched in 2015-16, 11.85 lakh ha area has been covered under organic farming by developing 32,384 clusters involving 16.19 lakh farmers. Rs 1793 crore has been released under PKVY so far. Agriculture practice in most Northeast areas being organic by default have advantage of leveraging the benefits of the centrally sponsored schemes but larger picture point towards huge untapped potential despite significant achievement in terms of targets set under the MOVCDNER. Under PKVY, farmers of various states of the country, are provided financial assistance of Rs 50,000/ha for 3 years out of which, Rs 31000/ ha / 3 years is provided directly to farmers through Direct Benefit Transformer for on-farm and off-farm organic inputs. Under MOVCDNER, an assistance of Rs 46,575/ha for three years is provided for creation of FPO/FPC, support to farmers for organic inputs, quality seeds/ planting material and training, handholding and certification. Of the total assistance Rs 32500/ ha for 3 years is provided to farmersfor on- farm /off –farm organic inputs. Geographic disadvantage and poor access to markets make a stronger case for the north-eastern states to seek an increase in financial assistance to the farmers under the MOVCDNER scheme for a level playing field with farmers covered by the PKVY who have better access to domestic and export markets because of geographic advantage. Organic certification plays the crucial role in marketing through quality assurance and northeast failed to tap the growing market despite farming practice being organic by default due to lack of streamlined organic certification ecosystem. Both the schemes promote standard organic farming dully certified under National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) and Participatory Guarantee System (PGS)- India certification and approved under Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 (Organic Food Regulation). A report titled “Evaluation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes in Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Sector” brought out by the Development, Monitoring and Evaluation Office reveals that under the PKVY more than three hundred RegionalCouncils have issued nearly six lakh certificates under the PGS – India certification programme. Regarding the MOVCDNER scheme, the report states that “few of the FPOs have created their own brands and further got their products certified under the PGS-India standards.” The report also highlights that due to “lack of any specific market for the selling of the organic produce adds to the distress” and adds that “transportation costs are extremely high when the farmers try to sell their produce in the urban markets.” It harped on the need to forge tie-up with private players which are involved in interstate trade and logistics, promoting refer vehicles and cold chain infrastructure to reduce wastage and losses during transportation and providing transport subsidy to the farmers to reduce transportation cost. Enabling more farmers in the region to make use of the online marketing platform- Jaivik Kheti - developed by the Central government will help them better price realization by facilitating direct sale of organic products to the consumers. Organic farming in Northeast needs a stronger certification and marketing push.