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| Organic industry targets Rs 4,000 cr by 2012 |
| Press Trust of India / Bangalore Sep 02, 2010, 21:33 IST |
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The Indian organic industry is aiming to up its total turnover, including exports, from Rs 675 crore to Rs 4,000 crore by 2012, a senior ICCOA official said today.
It is also targeting to launch new initiatives like tying up with modern retail outlets like Spencers and also IT firms to provide organic products, said Manoj Kumar Menon Executive Director International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA), a government-funded organisation that provides information and advisory services on organic agriculture.
The organic industry in India has begun witnessing momentum both in the domestic and export sector fuelled by factors like greater concerns for food safety, health and environment, he added.
Organic products refer to those grown without addition of chemicals or spraying harmful pesticides.
The vision for the organic sector is to bring 2 million of hectares (around 1.5 per cent of agricultural land) under certified organic farming by 2012 from 12 lakh hectares.
It also aimed at taking the Rs 550 crore export figure to Rs 2,500 crore by 2012. It is looking at growing the Rs 125 crore domestic market to Rs 1,500 crore by 2012, he said while announcing that BioFach India, an international Trade Fair would be held in Mumbai later in December.
The land under organic cultivation is to the tune of 32.20 million hectare and the global trade is expected to touch $50 billion by the fiscal-end.
A study revealed that just eight cities had the potential of achieving a total turnover of Rs 1,400 crore if tapped correctly.
ICCOA is currently facilitating farmers to take to organic farming and chalking out marketing strategies for those farmers who were in the the three-year 'inconversion period' (where the farmers had stopped adding chemicals or spraying pesticides to their crops).
"ICCOA has a tie up with Safal to provide products to 22 of their stores. We are also in discussion with modern retail formats like Spencers and FoodWorld on the issue," Sunil Kumar Principal Consultant said.
Currently, there are players to supply dry grocery in terms of organic products, including pulses. However, supply in terms of organically grown fruits and vegetables is still a challenge, though these products are in great demand, Sunil said. Cashing on this demand ICCOA is helping farmers to grow vegetables to supply the modern retail and institutions.
Currently under a pilot project, ICCOA has taken 450 farmers at Devanahalli, Doddaballapur and Chikkaballapur and around 150 hectares in this area is being covered by in-conversion organic products.
"We are aiming at capturing 10 per cent of Safal vegetable sale," he said. Currently it supplies around 2.5 to 3 tonnes vegetables to Safal daily.
ICCOA has been approached by Spencers and Foodworld for daily supply. "We hope to be in 100 stores by end of the year with supply to these three modern retail," he said. The aim is to take the supply to 10 tons daily in total.
ICCOA is also keen to supply organic products to Infosys canteen and talks are also on with hotels keen on having organic items on their menu, said Sunil.
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