'India Organic 2006' expo in B'lore from Nov 9

Bangalore, Oct 25: 'India Organic 2006', Asia's premier exposition on organic farming, will be held in the city for four days from November nine, Mr Ramesh Harve, President, International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture, the main sponsor of the event, informed today.

Speaking to newspersons here, he said the event was co-sponsored by the Union Agriculture Ministry and Morarka Organic, Rajasthan, with the active support of several stakeholders in the sector, including NGOs, farmers' organisations, processors, traders, exporters and individual farmers.

Mr Harve said the fair would offer a common platform for buyers and sellers of organic produce to strike deals, share initiatives and exchange know-how. A large number of producers, processors, input manufacturers, exporters, importers, Union and State Government organisations, certifying agencies and consumer organisations would participate in the event, aimed at harnessing, encouraging and creating consumer awareness in the domestic market for the organic produce. There would be an overwhelming participation from the North-East region, he added.

He said the sector was witnessing growth not only on the export front, but also more vibrantly on the domestic market. While the export market was pegged at over Rs 200 crore, the domestic market potential was estimated at Rs 1,500 crore. The global potential for organic agri-business was estimated at over 30 billion US Dollars and was growing between seven and 15 per cent annually. The combination of organic food, organic pharmaceuticals and organic cosmetics would account for over 100 billion Dollars, he informed.

The area under organic farming was presently over three lakh acres and was increasing as the farmers were finding it more rewarding than farming methods using pesticides, he added.

UNI