Rise in organic farming in India: KV Thomas

Organic farming is becoming popular in India as indicated by increase in areas under the new farm technique in the last three years, Parliament was informed today.

A total of 4.55 million hectare areas, agricultural as well forest, was under organic farming across the country in 2009-10 against 3.8 million hectare in 2008-09, Minister of State for Agriculture K V Thomas said in reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

Total land under organic farming was 3.01 million hectare in 2007-08, he added.

While 8.27 million hectare forest area was under organic farming in the last three years it was 3.09 hectare of agricultural land, the minister said quoting from data obtained from APEDA.

Organic farming relies on crop rotation, green manure, compost, biological pest control and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity and control pests, excluding or strictly limiting the use of synthetic fertilisers and synthetic pesticides.

In view of increase in acreage, quantum of organic produce has also risen.

There was over 21 lakh tonnes of organic produce in the country in 2009-10 in comparison to over 16 lakh tonnes in 2008-09, Thomas said.

Madhya Pradesh had largest share of organic produce, both in agricultural and forest areas. Rajasthan accounted for around 1.86 lakh tonnes of organic produce in agri areas in 2009-10, the minister said.

The hill state of Himachal Pradesh produced 36,811.30 tonnes of organic produce in its forest areas in 2009-10, Thomas added.