India has the potential to triple its organic produce exports to ₹20,000 crore (approximately $2,325 million) over the next three years, according to Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal. Speaking at the launch of the 8th edition of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) organized by APEDA with FICCI as the event partner, Goyal emphasized the need for farmers to transition to organic farming to increase domestic production and tap into international markets.
Currently, India exports produce grown through natural farming methods worth ₹5,000–₹6,000 crore annually. Highlighting global demand for such products estimated at ₹1 lakh crore, Goyal projected that with increased promotion and production, this could rise to ₹10 lakh crore. according to the minister, India, with the largest number of farmers practicing sustainable farming globally and the second-largest area under chemical-free cultivation, has the potential to become a global leader in this sector. This will significantly enhance farmers’ income and promote Indian exports worldwide.
Goyal also announced that the Ministry of Cooperation, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Commerce & Industry are working collaboratively to advance organic farming through farmer support, skill development, export facilitation, marketing, and packaging initiatives.
During the event, the Minister unveiled a dedicated NPOP portal to improve visibility and operational ease for stakeholders and launched TraceNet 2.0, an upgraded traceability platform for seamless operations and regulatory oversight. The first five registration certificates generated on TraceNet 2.0 were distributed to organic operators.
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Additionally, the redesigned APEDA portal, aimed at enhancing user experience for agricultural stakeholders, and a revamped Agri Exchange portal were launched. The latter offers user-friendly tools for data analysis and report generation on agricultural exports, accessible to the public.
Reduced Conversion Timeframes for Non-organic to Organic Farming
Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, and Chairman of the National Accreditation Body under NPOP, noted that the upgraded NPOP portal marks a significant milestone. He highlighted features such as reduced conversion timeframes for non-organic to organic farming, enhanced farmer group migration provisions, and mechanisms for ensuring fair compensation for farmers. These measures, he said, align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making India the organic food basket of the world.
Other dignitaries at the event included Ministers of State Jitin Prasada, Krishan Pal Gurjar, and Murlidhar Mohol, along with Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, and Abhishek Dev, Chairman of APEDA, who delivered the vote of thanks.
