TLI Staff
New Delhi: Even as coronavirus pandemic crippled logistics movement and affected global trade, exports of organic food products from India posted 51% jump to US$ 1,040 million in financial year 2020-21 as compared to previous fiscal.
In rupee terms, the total value amounted to Rs 7,078 crore.
Exports of organic food products grew by 39% to 888,179 metric tonne (MT) in terms of quantity during FY21 compared to 638,998 MT shipped in 2019-20.
Among key food items, oil cake meal topped the chart followed by oil seeds, fruit pulps and purees, cereals & millets, spices & condiments, tea, medicinal plant products, dry fruits, sugar, pulses, coffee and essential oil.
As per data released by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), India’s organic products have been exported to 58 countries including USA, European Union, Canada, UK, Australia, Switzerland, Israel and South Korea.
APEDA Chairman Dr M Angamuthu said that Indian organic products, nutraceuticals and health food are gaining popularity in the overseas market.
Organic agri products are currently exported from India only if they are produced, processed, packed and labelled as per the requirements of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP).
APEDA is tasked to implement NPOP since its inception in 2001 as notified under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulations) Act, 1992.
The NPOP certification has been recognised by the European Union (EU) and Switzerland enabling India to export unprocessed plant products to these countries without the requirement of additional certification. The equivalency with EU certification also facilitates export of Indian organic products to the UK even in the post Brexit phase.
In order to expand the scope of trade, negotiations are currently underway with many countries such as Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Australia, UAE and New Zealand. The bilateral tie-up will help achieve Mutual Recognition Agreements for exports of organic products from India.
Ministry of Commerce & Industry in a statement said that NPOP has also been recognized by the Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) for trade of organic products in the domestic market.
“Organic products covered under the bilateral agreement with NPOP need not to be recertified for import in India,” it said.