The pandemic has led to surging demand for organic products and health-conscious living. Organic foods are seen as being healthier and safer than conventional food and farmers play an important role in organic agricultural activities. Due to the restrictions and disruptions caused by the global pandemic, the past two years have not been easy for farmers and farming has been adversely affected in terms of the availability of inputs and a steep rise in the price of inputs such as seeds, bio-fertilizers, and compost. In an interview with FinancailExpress.com, Subrata Dutta, Group Managing Director, Organic India talked about their initiative Dharti Mitr Awards, ongoing business, way forward and budget implications. Excerpts:
Tell us about Dharti Mitr Awards, and how Organic India recognises the invaluable service for organic farmers. How can this type of felicitation encourage farmers in the long run?
Organic India works with nearly 2200 farmers across the country to create favourable economic, environmental and social ecosystems, as well as to promote healthy lifestyles and conscious living via bio-regenerative farming practices. In the past years, Organic India has been rigorously working towards training the farmers and providing educational opportunities that enable self-sufficiency and the development of skills that can be passed on to future generations.
The Dharti Mitr awards was instituted by ORGANIC INDIA in the year 2017 to honour and recognize the efforts of organic farmers across the country, not just in growing crops without chemical inputs but also in balancing the ecosystem and creating innovative self-sustaining models. The awards also provides a platform for organic farmers across the country to share their innovation and cross populate their learnings.
Dharti Mitr Awards are a way for Organic India to showcase appreciation and recognition of organic farmers who are the main power source of the country’s agrarian and who continue to work to increase productivity while ensuring a healthier world. By bringing them together on the same platform and giving them a way to share their stories, we ought to acknowledge that farmers are Heroes.
Why did you associate with Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival this year for the awards?
Due to the restrictions and disruptions caused by the global pandemic, the past two years have not been easy for farmers and farming has been adversely affected in terms of the availability of inputs and a steep rise in the price of inputs such as seeds, bio-fertilizers, and compost.
To salute the unflagging spirit of the Indian organic farmer, Dharti Mitr Awards return bigger and brighter this year in collaboration with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF). The thought behind associating DPIFF was bringing the farmers, the hero of our agriculture ecosystem, on the same platform as celebrities and providing them with a bigger platform to showcase their stories and innovation.
How does the association help farmers to uplift their work?
At Organic India, everyone is committed to being a living embodiment of love and consciousness in action. Our products are made in India and reach millions of consumers worldwide with a message of interconnectedness and oneness with nature. Farmers indeed form an integral part of our family and we are focused towards supporting the livelihood and well-being of farmers across rural India. Many belong to marginalized groups, including women, widows, the elderly and the illiterate. We provide educational opportunities enabling self-sufficiency and developing skills to pass on to future generations. All our farmers and tribal wild crafters are educated in organic and regenerative agricultural practices. Our commitment goes beyond the farm to help enhance the lives of our farmers through fair-market wages, access to healthcare, empowerment and gender equality programmes, as well as improvements in infrastructure.
What are the current challenges facing the organic food industry & what more needs to be done?
The pandemic highlighted the need for health-conscious living, leading to more involvement and engagement of Organic India consumer base with the category. The consumer today is looking to adopt the principle of prevention being better than cure. Understanding the current need of customers and the shift, the organic food industry has adapted a delivery mechanism to ensure immunity-building products are available to the consumers in need. Input Needed
What are the plans for launching new food products in 2022?
Over the years, Organic India has been offering products derived organically and our major aim for this year is to become a one-stop ‘organic’ solution for the consumer looking for health and wellness products.
We have recently launched new products like Garcinia Cambogia, Tulsi Detox Kahwa, Sunflower & Groundnut Cooking Oil, and Tulsi Peppermint Refresh. Moreover we have also introduced new packaging for Green Teas. Further Flax Seeds and Chia Seeds are the new nutritional superfoods launched by the brand in its commodities range
How has the wellness segment grown and what is the future outlook of the sector?
The need for health-conscious living is highlighted due to the pandemic, leading to more involvement and engagement of Organic India consumer base with the category.
In India, wellness as a concept has taken up a multi-dimensional definition, with the progress of time, encompassing the individual’s desire for social acceptance, exclusivity and collective welfare. The consumers which now-a-days comprise mainly the youth population added with rising income levels and their increasing need to look good and feel good, have started seeking wellness solutions to meet lifestyle challenges.
In the next three years the Indian wellness industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20% to reach INR 875 bn.
What are your views on the current budget announcement around farmers and farming?
The recent budget seems to bring in prosperity and well-being for India farmers and we welcome this move by the Government. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced farm procurement value ₹2.37 lakh crore towards direct payments for minimum support price (MSP) to wheat and paddy farmers for the fiscal year 2022-23. Moreover the budget also included the use of Kisan Drones for crop assessments, land records, and spraying of insecticides is expected to drive a wave of technology in the Agri & farming sector.
The budget rightly emphasised the importance of millets for dryland farmers. Also, the announcement of the fiscal year 2022-23 being the International Year of Millets brings a new ray of light for the farmers. Further to that Chemical-free natural farming is also claimed to be promoted throughout the country. The budget overall aimed at boosting farmer’s income and improving the viability of agriculture as a remunerative economic activity, including prospective launch of special funds for agri start-ups.