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Demand for Indian organic foods rising globally following Biofach India
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Tuesday, 12 November, 2019, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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From organic medicinal plants to millets, foreign buyers from China, South Korea, Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Mexico, and the European Union (EU) evinced keen interest in Indian organic food products to cater to increasing consumption levels in their own countries at Biofach India 2019, which was dedicated to organic foods, and concluded in Greater Noida, NCR (National Capital Region), recently.
Foreign buyers from various countries, including 80 buyers invited by Agricultural Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), attended the event. The products in which they showed interest included tea, spices, honey, Basmati rice, coffee, cereals, dry fruits, vegetables, processed foods and medicinal plants.
The three-day event jointly organised by APEDA and Nurnberg Messe India, was inaugurated by APEDA chairman Paban Kumar Borthakur. About 200 Indian organic food companies exhibited their products at the event.
“Apart from showing interest in Indian organic products, international customers also interacted with Indian companies and farmers and exchanging information, resources and knowledge about agricultural practices at the event. They have suggested in order to trade globally, the three factors that Indian farmers needed to consider were quality, quantity and price point,” Borthakur added.
“Apart from organic food items, the buyers also evinced interest in non-food products, including beauty and health and personal care products. There was a major demand for flax seeds, sesame and soybean; for pulses such as arhar (red gram), chana (pigeon pea); and rice, besides tea and medicinal plants. APEDA soon plans to bring textiles under the organic umbrella for exports. At present cotton is covered under organics,” said the APEDA chief.
“People around the globe are getting more conscious of what they are eating. They are switching to organic products, as they do not want chemicals in their food. Compared to the overall agricultural exports, the share of organic products is less. But the rate of growth is quite impressive,” he said.
There was a major demand under the organic product category are for oil seeds, cereals and millets, sugar, fruit juice concentrates, tea, spices, pulses, dry fruits, medicinal plant products, etc.
Though the United States, EU member countries and Canada were the biggest buyers of organic products, many new countries like Israel, Vietnam, Mexico have also been taking interest recently.
The equivalency granted by European Commission and Switzerland for unprocessed plant products, and the conformity assessment granted by the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) played a pivotal role in increased export to these countries.
The major highlight of Biofach was the display of organic products from the North-Eastern states, which are coming up as hubs of Indian organic farm products. A variety of organic crops from these states, include tea, Joha rice and lemons from Assam, large cardamom and ginger from Sikkim, king chillis from Manipur, sugarcane, cowpea and paddy from Mizoram, passion fruit from Meghalaya and pineapples from Tripura.
“India produced around 2.67 million metric tonne (2018-19) of certified organic products, which includes all varieties of food products, namely oil seeds, sugar cane, cereals and millets, cotton, pulses, medicinal plants, tea, fruits, spices, dry fruits, vegetables, coffee, etc. The production is not limited to the edible sector, but also produces organic cotton fibre and functional food products,” Borthakur said.
“India exported organic products worth Rs 5,151 crore (over $757 million) in 2018-19, up from Rs 3,453 crore in 2017-18 ($515 million), registering an increase of about 49 per cent,” he added.
The APEDA chief said, “The major demands under the organic product category are for flax seeds, sesame and soybean; pulses such as arhar (red gram), chana (pigeon pea); and rice, along with tea and medicinal plants.”
“The USA and EU member-countries were the biggest buyers of organic products from India. There is a growing demand from Canada, Taiwan and South Korea in recent years, Germany is one of the biggest importers of Indian organic products. Now, many new countries are also taking interest,” he added.
“As per the industry estimates, the Indian organic agricultural product market is worth about Rs 8,500 crore. Exports account for nearly 60 per cent, at Rs 5,150 crore, while the domestic market is estimated at Rs 2,500 crore. Compared to international trade of about $97 billion, the Indian market seems to be very small, but it is growing very fast,” Borthakur said.
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