Government promoting use of Organic Manure in India

New Delhi: Government is promoting organic/chemical free fertilizers under Capital Investment Subsidy Scheme of National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF) through NABARD by setting up of Fruit & Vegetable Waste/Agro Waste Compost Units under Municipalities, Agricultural Produce marketing Committees (APMCs), Public Sector/Private Sector Companies, individual entrepreneurs and Bio-fertilizer/Bio-pesticide Production Units through Public Sector, Co-operative/Private Sector Companies, NGOs and individual entrepreneurs.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed technologies to prepare various types of organic manures such as Phospho-compost, Vermi-compost, Municipal Solid Waste Compost etc. from various organic wastes.
During the 11th Five Year Plan, the funds Rs.101.00 crore was allocated by the Government for National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF) to encourage organic farming including organic manure. Under Capital Investment Subsidy Scheme of NPOF, subsidy amounting to Rs.11.53 crore was released through NABARD during 11th plan period.
ICAR is implementing a Network Project on Organic Farming to develop package of practices of different crops and cropping systems under Organic farming in different agro-ecological regions of the country with an allocation of Rs.5.34 crore. Organic farming package of practices for 14 crops namely basmati rice, rainfed wheat, maize, redgram, chickpea, soyabean, groundnut, mustard, isabgol, black pepper, ginger, tomato, cabbage and cauliflower have been developed.
Soil test based balanced and integrated nutrient management through conjunctive use of both inorganic and organic source of plant nutrient is recommended by ICAR to maintain quality of soils.
National Project on Management of Soil Health and Fertility (NPMSH&F) was launched during 2008-09 with a total outlay of Rs.429.85 crore during 11th Plan to promote soil test based balanced and judicious use of fertilizers for improving soil health and its productivity. NPMSH&F provides assistance for setting up of new static/mobile soil testing laboratories (STLs), strengthening of existing STLs, trainings of STL staff/extension officers/farmers, field demonstrations on balanced use of fertilizers, promoting use of organic manure, soil amendments and micro nutrients. During 11th Plan 294 STLs were set up/strengthened, 118 new mobile STLs were set up, 1,221 trainings and 1344 demonstrations were organized, 99,000 ha were covered under organic manure, 34,000 ha under soil amendment and 1,08,800 ha under micro nutrients.
Under Horticulture Mission for North-East & Himalayan States (HMNEH) financial assistance is provided for various horticulture activities. Setting up of vermicompost units is one of the components under the scheme for which financial assistance upto Rs.30000 per unit for permanent structure and Rs.10000 per unit for HDPE vermin bed is provided on pro-rata basis.
Under National Horticulture Mission (NHM), subsidy is provided for adoption of organic farming @ of 50% of the maximum permissible cost of Rs.20,000/ha for a maximum area of 4 ha per beneficiary in three installments. The programme is linked with organic certification. Subsidy under organic certification is project based, which is Rs. 5.00 lakh for a cluster of 50 ha. For setting up of vermin compost units, assistance is provided upto Rs.30000 per unit. A sum of Rs.206.87 crore was released to the State Horticulture Missions during 11th Plan for taking up organic farming activities. The coverage of area achieved under organic farming is 128074 ha against target of 67710 ha and 142140 vermi compost units have been set up against target of 115951 units.

Sikkim has to overcome challenges to become organic

New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) Sikkim has set for itself the goal of becoming an organic agricultural state by 2015 — but there are several challenges that it needs to overcome to see the shift, said an ecology expert from the Himalayan state.
“Organic agriculture, as an adaptation strategy to climate change, is a concrete, holistic and sustainable option but has challenges in terms of acceptance and the sustainability of such a move needs critical appraisal,” Rajendra P. Gurung, chief executive officer, Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim, told IANS here.
The foremost challenge is in terms of acceptance by the farmers who are still dependent on fertilisers and traditional farming.
“The financial investment is also huge, especially for the certification process, which is costly and complex. Also in terms of sustainability, financial support will be required even 10 years after the implementation,” added Gurung.
Gurung, who is also a member of the Sikkim State Biodiversity Board, said marketing and developing the Sikkim organic brand is also another challenge that needs great attention.
“The state also needs to understand the aggregation problem that it could face due to the geographical distance of the market from the farms,” he said while addressing the International Conference on the Eastern Himalayas organised by the Centre for Northeast Studies and Policy Research at the Jamia Millia Islamia here Feb 11-13.
This project was announced in 2003 by the government. However, it is only after 2010 that it has been moving on a fast track. The Sikkim Organic Mission is the nodal agency to implement and monitor the programme for implementation in a time-bound manner.
However, Gurung said that, if implemented, the project will have long-term benefits for the state on climate protection and promoting eco-tourism.
“Organic farming helps in lowering the emission of green house gases, restores water in the soil, increases nutrient, stops use of synthetic fertilizers, decreases soil erosion and helps in improving biodiversity,” he said.

ORGANIC LOWERS EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES

GREENFIELD, Mass — The Organic Trade Association issued the following news release:
These data confirm what numerous peer-reviewed studies have shown: that organic products have significantly lower rates of pesticide residues, while the few products that do show trace chemicals are at much lower levels than the average for conventional produce.
The data reported by CBC show that conventional produce is 70 percent more likely to contain pesticide residues, and conventional products tested above the maximum allowed levels 2.5 times more often than organic.
Test results published in December show that organophosphate pesticide levels in children in Toronto plummeted as soon as they began eating an organic diet. Unfortunately, agricultural pesticides now contaminate every part of our lives: from our soil and drinking water to fetal cord blood. We believe firmly that organic is the only option for consumers who wish to reduce their exposure to persistent and synthetic chemical pesticides, herbicides, and GMOs.
Canadian consumers can trust that federal law now governs organic products. All imported and domestic products must meet Canadian standard requirements in order to be sold as organic. In addition to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s inspection and enforcement of organic products on retail shelves, organic farms and processing facilities are subject to regular on-site inspections, making organic products the most scrutinized and controlled foods in our market.
The organic sector fully expects CFIA to take full enforcement action on any producers shown to have used a prohibited substance on organic products.
For many farmers and consumers, organic is much more than the absence of toxic and synthetic pesticides–organic is about the use of humane standards for animals, increasing biodiversity on farms and in nature, and fostering resilient and adaptable plants and soils that reduce our carbon footprint. In addition to all these things, consumers who choose organic know they are choosing products that do not use GMOs, artificial colors, additives or flavors.

The grand organic food opera

Ethical and health concerns are motivating people to eat wisely and well. Some of them share with Michael Patrao simple rules for healthy living.

Like Cliff Richard who sang, ‘Searching for a Green Light’, people in Bangalore, with depleting green cover and increasing stress and pollution, are looking for solutions which will keep their sanity and health intact.

A growing number of Bangaloreans are consciously choosing organic food. They have a wide choice as a number of outlets have sprung up across the City offering organic fruits, vegetables, pulses, spices and other food items. Bakeries and supermarkets stock whole-grain and multi-grain bread, biscuits and even noodles, unheard of a decade ago. Branded and certified organic food products are available in most supermarkets besides exclusive organic outlets.

Green tea, said to have anti-oxidant and anti-cholesterol properties, savoured without
milk or sugar, is slowly replacing conventional tea. It is quite a trend in many corporate offices in the City.

The consumer of organic food is today wiser and understands that organic vegetables and fruits cannot look uniformly similar and evenly coloured like the imported, hybrid and genetically modified fruits and vegetables which have flooded the market. For instance, the informed consumer does not expect a tomato to be perfectly-shaped and have a bright red hue.

There is a marked preference for food that is cooked without additives, preservatives, baking soda, ajinomoto, hydrogenated fats and artificial flavours and colours. The dark green palak paneer, the vivid orange kalmi kabab and the bright blue aerated drink, all made to look appealing with added colours, do not find favour with many consumers.
A major drawback in shopping for organic produce is the price, which is marginally higher. However, the upwardly mobile Bangalorean does not mind shelling out a little extra for quality and good health.

Indian organic food now available in UAE

DUBAI: Organic food products from Indian farms will now be made available to UAE residents as part of a new deal signed between a leading UAE supermarket chain and an Indian organic food producer, according to a media report.
More than 80 organic food products including cereals, pulses, spices and fruit juices will be sold across the country in Choithrams stores, following the chain’s partnership with Indian organic food producer, 24 Mantra Organic.
The new product line is expected to be more affordable than existing organic products in the UAE.
“We already have organic products but this is the first time Indian organic products will be sold in our stores. We will introduce more organic products if there is a demand from customers,” Subhash Kurup, retail marketing manager of Choithrams, told the Khaleej Times.
The company, which produces popular Brown rice, peanut and wheat products, is putting strict quality control measures in place to meet international hygiene and food safety regulations.
“Organic food is all about trust. We have control from the seed to the kitchen and each food product can be traced back to the farm and the farmer who cultivated it,” Raj Seelam, managing director of 24 Mantra Organic, told the paper.

Organic rubber farming deepening roots in Kerala

KOCHI: Organic farming of rubber is slowly gaining traction in the state as an alternative to traditional methods using chemical fertilizers, said experts in this field. However, the spread of this method is much unorganized as individuals, rather than farmer groups, are implementing it driven by the long-term merits of the switchover.
“I know about 25 farmers who have opted organic farming,” said Mathew Sebastian, executive director of Aluva-based Indocert, a certification body accredited to the National Programme for Organic Production.
According to the supporters of organic farming, there is a significant reduction in farming costs in addition to higher yield. Kurian Varghese Myladoor from Muttom in Idukki district said he had experienced up to 25% increase in productivity while costs came down to one third of traditional farming costs. “If you use the conventional style, annual farming costs would be Rs 25,000 – Rs 30,000 per acre, where as it is only Rs 10,000 in organic farming,” said Myladoor who first tried organic cultivation in 2.5 acres of land and later scaled it up to 20 acres.
Bobby Issac, director of the Indian operations of Germany-based certification body, Lacon, also has noticed this growing trend among rubber farmers. “There are a number of farmers with a proactive thinking and innovative ideas turning towards organic rubber farming,” he said. However, a ready market for organic rubber-based products is absent in India, he noted. “Organic rubber-based products have good demand in the Europe, but this awareness is yet to catch up in India,” he added.

Organic farming grew 29 times in five years

Organic agriculture in the country has grown 29 times in the last five years, according to Tariq Anwar, the Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries. Worldwide, 35 million hectares of agricultural land is managed organically by almost 1.4 million providers.

“Eleven states have drafted policies for promotion of organic farming. Of them, four intend to go 11 per cent organic,” he added. In 2011-12, the country exported over 300 organic products under 19 categories, to the tune of Rs 839 crore, Anwar added. He was at the fifth edition of BioFach India 2013, an International Organic Trade Fair.

The minister further said farmers would be brought on a common platform under the already existing Savayawa Yojana which was aimed at encouraging organic farming. “We want to develop network groups so they can share their knowledge.”

At a micro level, networking would be done and federations formed. Also, a State-level federationswould be formed for easy communication. “We will also hold micro-level fairs in seven municipal corporations across the State,” he said.
Minister for Agriculture, Krishna Byre Gowda, said that to encourage pure organic farming, farmers had to be assured of a stable market — something possible only by organising micro-level organic produce fairs.

Gowda, who had earlier announced that the State would have 100 acres of land dedicated to organic farming to set a model for farmers, said that a network system for farmers would also be built.

At the fair, more than 45 stalls exhibiting various organic produce were set up. The stall by farmers from Nagaland was the centre of attraction. While many well-decorated and fully furnished stalls had a handful of visitors, the village hut-style stall set up by farmers from Northeast attracted many people.

Tomato trees

From the world’s hottest chilly to the sweetest pineapple, one could find it all at the stall. There were many surprises as well. For example, if one believed that tomatoes would not grow on trees, the stall was the right place to get the belief debunked.

“It grows at a height of seven feet,” explained Abea Mero, a farmer from Nagaland. Wild apples, the Naga garlic, spices of the east and a variety of tomatoes were on also display.