In a bid to promote organic farming in the state, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Asscoham) will prepare a road map for adoption of organic farming in Orissa.
“We will be preparing a road map for Orissa for adoption of organic farming. Orissa has a huge potential but the government will have to do a lot more including framing a policy,” DS Rawat Secretary General, Assocham told Business Standard.
He demanded for a separate department for development of organic farming in lines with the Madhya Pradesh government.
It may be noted that Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh have already framed separate policies for organic farming.
The Assocham official claimed that organic farming can generate exports worth Rs 1,000 crore from the state in the next five years and create an addition employment of 10 per cent.
“Organic farming in the production of bananas, leechi, mangoes, cashews vegetables and milk production can be encouraged in the state,” Rawat said.
The industry body also urged the Union government to frame a policy to incentivize organic farming. Rawat suggested that state government should identify two districts, educate the farmers about organic farming and encourage them to adopt the new process. “Adoption of organic farming will bring down input costs and the produce will fetch 10 per cent premium over the normal price and double the amount in retail market,” he added. Rawat said, the market value of certified organic products is estimated at Rs 3.5 lakh crore globally and is growing at the rate of 20 per cent annually.