Jharkhand Rai University (JRU), Ranchi

In India, about 5.91 million hectares of land are under organic farming. Currently the country has 4.43 million organic farmers, according to the Economic Survey 2022-23. The government aims to help 10 million farmers to adopt natural farming over the next three years.

7 REASONS WHY THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR STARTING ORGANIC FARMING BUSINESS?

Here are the answers and facts –

Reason 1 – The India organic food market reached a value of USD 1238 million in 2022.

Reason 2 – In comparison to non-organic crops, organic crops can fetch you a much better price in the market.

Reason 3 – The organic food market is projected to grow at a CAGR of nearly 22% in the forecast period of 2023-2028.

Reason 4 – Most organic farming methods have lesser water requirements which could be crucial given the shortage of water in most areas

Reason 5 – The market is estimated to reach a value of about USD 4082 million by 2028.

Reason 6 – The major drivers of the industry include rising disposable incomes, increasing population, rising health consciousness, and consumer spending on health and wellness products.

Reason 7 – The Government of India is encouraging organic farming through financial assistance to farmers who are implementing organic farming under various government schemes.

HOW B.SC AGRICULTURE CAN PREPARE YOU FOR ORGANIC FARMING ENTREPRENEURSHIP?

One of the best ways to get a deep understanding about plant anatomy, agriculture, farming and its related business is to study B.Sc Agriculture.

The course curriculum consists of topics such as agriculture science, use of modern scientific equipments, farming systems and sustainable agriculture, cultivation of fruits, vegetables, spices and flowers, land surveying, soil science, water resource management, dry land agriculture, integrated nutrient management, integrated pest management and animal and poultry management.

The curriculum provides knowledge of basics of Plant Biotechnology. The knowledge of agriculture study comes in handy in many ways starting from identifying your organic business to expansion of your business.

WHAT LICENSES ARE REQUIRED TO START ORGANIC FARMING BUSINESS?

The licenses required to run an organic farming business are –

Organic farming certification by NPOP

FSSAI registration/state/central license

GST registration

MSME registration

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR ORGANIC FARMING IN INDIA

The National Centre of Organic Farming, the Department of Agriculture, and NABARD offer multiple capital-intensive subsidies for organic farmers. Several other subsidies also exist to help transition from non-organic to organic farming.

In view of increasing demand of organic agricultural product, Government has been promoting Organic farming as a chemical free farming through dedicated schemes namely Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) since 2015-16. Both the schemes provide support to organic farmers from organic production to certification and marketing including post-harvest management like processing, packaging etc.

IS SELLING ORGANIC PRODUCTS PROFITABLE?

YES!

The Expert Market Research report shows that the organic food market alone will reach a value of approximately Rs 19,500 crore by 2026, with a CAGR value of 20.5%.

So, selling organic food products is profitable, especially as an online business.

HOW TO DO MARKET RESEARCH FOR ORGANIC FARMING BUSINESS?

You need to find out the demand for your organic products in the market. Here are some steps you can take to analyse supply-demand:

One of the best ways to get an idea is to use online marketplaces to find popular organic products.

There are existing successful organic products brands. You can research their existing organic products and see which ones are successful

Once you identify and decide on a product, run a survey to find out if it has enough demand

HOW TO SOURCE ORGANIC PRODUCTS?

There are two options. One is to produce/manufacture your own organic products; the second is to source them externally. If you want to source the products then there are many wholesale dealers in Bharat from where you can get organic products in bulk.

If you decide to sell products online, simply select finished products from organic brands and stock them in your eCommerce store.

Another idea is to start your own organic brand. If you decide to start your own brand, select wholesale suppliers with contract manufacturing or private label facilities and you can go ahead.

You can also source organic products locally for your eCommerce store.

LICENSES AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ORGANIC BUSINESS/FARMING

Some organic products accreditations by the government of India are National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), PGS, and NOP.

The NPOP certification has been recognised by the European Union and Switzerland which enables India to export unprocessed plant products to a list of countries without the requirement of additional certification.

You will need organic certifications if you want to create your own brand of organic products. And you will need to contact an authorised organic certification agency for the same.

Also, if your organic business is in the category of “organic food business”, you’ll need an FSSAI certification. Additionally, you need to register your organic business on the Udyog Aadhar through MSME Online Registration portal.

HOW TO START SELLING ORGANIC PRODUCTS ONLINE?

So you want to sell organic products online to a wide customer base?

The best way to do business online is by starting your own online store. There are several platforms that can help you set up online store for free. Read below.

HOW TO START YOUR OWN ONLINE STORE / ECOMMERCE WEBSITE FOR FREE?

Here are the best eCommerce platforms that can enable you to setup a beautiful website easily and some of the offer free services too.

Instamojo is a platform that helps you to create online store so that you can start selling products online easily. It has powerful features designed specifically for small business owners to start their online business journey. You get a store that comes with a payment gateway with no additional costs. Many MSME owners have started and grown their businesses online by creating professional storefronts. . Instamojo platform has SEO features to help you make your store search engine friendly and increase traffic.

Magento is another platform that can help you build your ecommerce website. It has a seven percent eCommerce market share globally. It started in 2007 as an open-source platform, so its users can develop eCommerce websites with ease.

Zoho has its presence in seven locations having a global headquarters in Chennai. It has reached more than 50 million customers and is expanding its venture. It is a supportive platform for creating your own online store.

At kharedi.in you can create Website in 2 Minutes. They provide a complete hosted ecommerce solution with design support. The best free website builder.

Try Builder.ai. Build your eCommerce site and app from scratch with Builder.ai. This software company won several awards for their initiative to make eCommerce businesses easier.

QUICK STATISTICS

The market is growing at 25-30 per cent at present. And has more potential to grow.

The government is spending crores of rupees to promote organic farming sector.

India is capable of growing all kinds of organic foods due to its favourable climatic conditions.

Organic farming improves farm income.

This method of farming protects both land and water resources.

Cultivable land area under organic farming has more than doubled from 11.83 lakh ha in 2014 to 29.17 lakh ha in 2020 due to the focused efforts of the Government.

At more than a million, the country also had the most number of organic farmers — over a third of the nearly 2.8 million across the world.

Madhya Pradesh tops the list with 0.76 million ha of area under organic cultivation — that is over 27 per cent of India’s total organic cultivation area.

Sikkim is the only Indian state to have become fully organic so far.

WHAT IS ORGANIC FARMING?

Organic farming is a specific production system that aims to avoid the use of synthetic and harmful pesticides, fertilizers, growth regulators, and livestock feed additives. In this method, farmers use agricultural methods that preserve the environment and avoid synthetic farming and agricultural materials.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ORGANIC PRODUCERS

Many consumers are turning to organic products to support a healthier lifestyle. Hence, organic farmers can collect a greater share of consumers’ food spending.

Research shows that organic consumers are willing to pay a higher price for safer, higher quality organic products.

There are many easy and low-cost ways to market organic products, including the local farmers’ markets, co-ops, supermarkets, restaurants, have exclusive shops at malls, schools, and online. In this digital age, one can use online and social media marketing to attract health-conscious consumers.

You can also export your organic produce as the demand is huge. According to Market Research, it is estimated that Global Organic Food and Beverages Market will reach USD 323.56 Billion by 2024.

INTERESTING FACTS ON ORGANIC FARMING

The first scientific approach to organic farming dates back to the Vedas of the later Vedic period. The essence of this ancient method of farming is to live in harmony with, rather than exploit, Mother Nature.

There is brief mention of several organic inputs in our ancient literatures like Rigveda, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Kautilya Arthasashthra etc.

In fact, organic agriculture has its roots in Indian traditional agricultural practices that evolved in countless village’s and farming communities over the millennium.

HOW TO BECOME CERTIFIED ORGANIC?

A trademark – “India Organic” is granted on the basis of compliance with the National Standards for Organic Production (NSOP).

India Organic Certification is a label given to organic products after validation, which ensures that the product or raw materials used in the product were grown through organic farming – without any chemical fertilizers,  pesticides, or induced hormones.

The certification is issued by testing centers accredited by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the National Program for Organic Production of the Government of India.