Challenges Related to Organic Farming
The Green revolution introduced modern chemical fertilisers, modern farming techniques along with better seed management which boosted up the country’s foodgrain production. The use of chemical fertilisers, synthetic pesticides, germicides, herbicides and Genetically Engineered (GE) seeds became completely uncontrolled and started polluting the complete supply chain. As a result, children were born with disabilities and several lands became unproductive. People slowly started migrating to organic farming. This conversion faced many challenges which can be met with proper counter-measures and government policies. The major challenges are given below –
1.) Convincing the Farmer –
Organic farming is a bit expensive and involves constant expenditure. Most of the farmers are not in a position to afford the cost of organic farming. They continue to rely on chemical fertilizers owing to their cost friendliness. Organic seeds are costlier, take more time to grow and the storage of the final products are expensive too. Convincing the farmers to shift to organic farming is a challenge as it may have an immediate commercial impact on their income. To solve this a holistic and community-driven approach, similar to the “Swachh Bharat” for “Swachh Food” needs to be undertaken. The government involvement is also a must to provide the security at a greater level.
2.) Disparity of Supply and Demand -
Non-perishable grains can be grown anywhere and transported to any location but this is not the case with fruits and vegetables. It should be produced locally for which there should be willing companies, aggregators and farmers around that particular area from where the demand is coming. But generally, the demand comes from metros where there are no farmlands to produce organic fruits and vegetables. Smart transport and dedicated channels of supply are the solutions to this disparity.
3.) Shortage Of Organic Seeds -
Seeds and inputs are highly regulated and governed by government policies. The government provide subsidies for chemical fertilisers and pesticides but there is no such provision for organic inputs. There are certification programmes for organic seeds, but there is no recognition for certified seeds. Due to the less availability of certified organic seeds, farmers are forced and advised to use the conventional seeds only, as they could be treated with chemicals. Hence the government should implement a separate policy framework for organic farming which covers seeds production and input supplies.
4.) Confused Certification Framework -
There were no policy or framework for selling organic food products in India. As a result, anyone could sell anything, under the label of ‘organic’. This created trust issues among the customers. Any agricultural product is consumer-centric and consumer’s trust is the key to organic produce. To develop trust among customers there should be a proper regulatory framework, compliance with the requirements and the same should be communicated to customers. To solve this FSSAI has come up with the Jaivik Bharat framework, a globally recognised third-party certification process which is controlled by APEDA.
5.) The High Price of Organic Produce -
•The final prices of organic produce are always higher than conventional products and the customers always opt for cheaper products. It hugely impacts the organic produce market in India.
•In short, the expensive organic farming methods, limited production, supply chain irregularities, storage, preservation and market competition are the major challenges faced by Organic farming in India. With government support and proper supply chain mechanism, the prices can be reduced which will attract more farmers to shift to Organic farming.
By – Arun Vijayan
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