NEW DELHI, 25 MAY 2021: In a boost to exports of organic products, a consignment of 10.20 metric tonnes of value-added products of organically certified gluten-free jackfruit powder & retort packed jackfruit cubes were exported to Germany from Bengaluru today via sea route.
This has been processed in the APE jackfruit DA assisted packhouse owned by Phalada Agro Research Foundations (PARF), Bengaluru.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) registered PARF represents a group of 1500 farmers with a wide coverage of around 12,000 acres of farms. These farmers grow Medicinal and aromatic herbs, coconut, jackfruit, mango puree products, spices, and Coffee.
PARF facilitates the certification process as per National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), European Union, National Organic Programme (the United States) standards to their small farmer's groups. The processing unit of PARF has been certified by APEDA under its accredited Organic Certification.
Recently, a shipment of 1.2 metric tonnes of fresh jackfruit was exported from Tripura to London. Jackfruits were sourced from the Tripura-based Krishi Sanyoga Agro Producer Company Ltd. The consignment was packed at APEDA assisted pack-house facility of Salt Range Supply Chain Solution Ltd and exported by Kiega EXIM Pvt Ltd. This was the first APEDA assisted packhouse for exports to European Union, which was approved in May 2021.
Under the NPOP, organic products are grown under a system of agriculture without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides with an environmentally and socially responsible approach. This method of farming works at the grassroots level preserving the reproductive and regenerative capacity of the soil, good plant nutrition, and sound soil management, produces nutritious food rich in vitality which has resistance to diseases. APEDA is currently implementing the NPOP, which involves the accreditation of certification bodies, standards for organic production, promotion of organic farming and marketing, etc.
In 2020-21, India produced around 3.49 million tonnes of certified organic products which include all varieties of food products namely oil seeds, sugarcane, cereals, millets, cotton, pulses, aromatic and medicinal plants, tea, coffee, fruits, spices, dry fruits, vegetables, processed foods, etc.
Madhya Pradesh has covered the largest area under organic certification followed by Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Odisha, Sikkim, and Uttar Pradesh. In 2020-21, the total volume of organic products export was 8.88 lakh metric tonnes and the export realization was around Rs 7,078 crores (USD 1.04 bn).
Image credit: agrifarming.in
