Exports of organic agricultural products, such as cotton, medicinal plants and food items, have more than tripled in value terms in the past three years.
In volume terms, the shipment of such products has also grown close to three times, according to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda).
In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said cultivable land under organic certification, including wild collection area, had grown to 5.5 million hectares (mh) in 2011-12 from 4.5 mh in 2009-10. The Government has been providing a range of incentives under the National Horticulture Mission for promotion of organic farming. Such subsidies entail providing subsidies for adoption of organic farming, setting up vermi-compost units and certification of organic farms.
Capacity building programmes on organic farming are being organised under the National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF), Pawar said.