The Agriculture and Processed Food Export Development Authority (Apeda) is of the view that India?s export of organic food have been understated in figures. There is a need to evolve a mechanism to rightly determine the quantum of organic exports done by the country annually. Gross estimate suggests that India exports Rs 250 crore of organic food annually. However, Apeda chairman KS Money briefing mediapersons here on Monday, said, ?This estimate is very conservative. The certifying agencies do not give us the exact figures of ? the organic products certified by then for exports. There is a need to evolve a mechanism for determining the actual exports of organic products done each year.?
Apeda is the nodal agency for promoting exports of agricultural and processed foods, with the exception of marine products and some plantation crops. It is also a certifying agency for organic products and has also designated other certifying agencies. Money further said that unlike the major organic exporters ? Swtizerland , European Union and North America ? India has been successful in effecting group certification of organic produces. ?This group certification is cheaper for farmers.? ?
On GIs for basmati rice, Money said, ?As Pakistan is not cooperating with us in filing a joint application for GIs for basmati rice, in my personal view I thinks we should proceed on our own.? The International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA) has planned to host India Organic Trade Fair 2007 in association with the Union agriculture ministry, National Centre of Organic Farming and Apeda in Delhi from November 29 to December 2.
ICCOA had earlier organized two organic trade fairs in Bangalore in Karnataka in 2005 and 2006.