Govt Notifies Procedure For Export Of Certified Organic Products

New Delhi: The government has laid out a procedure for the export of certified organic products, requiring mandatory certification under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) for such shipments, according to a public notice. The Directorate General Of Foreign Trade (DGFT), in a public notice, said a product will be allowed to be exported as an 'organic product' only when accompanied by a Transaction Certificate (TC) issued by a certification body accredited by the National Accreditation Body for such items under the NPOP of the Department of Commerce. India has fixed a target of USD 2 billion in exports for organic food products by 2030.

It added that exports of these goods will only be certified as such if produced, processed, packed and labelled as per the standards laid down in the NPOP. "Procedure for export of certified organic products has been notified," it added. 

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Organic Export Guidelines

The revised edition of the NPOP will come into force effective 180 days starting from January 5. APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority), the commerce ministry's arm, has revised the NPOP's regulations to make it more farmer-friendly and help India push exports of organic food products.

India’s Organic Food Exports Witness Robust Growth, Set To Shine At Global Trade Fair

The National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) provides standards for organic production and procedures for accreditation of certification bodies. The standards and procedures have been formulated in harmony with other international standards regulating the import and export of organic products. During April-November this fiscal, these exports rose by about 40 per cent to USD 456 million. It was USD 495 million in 2023-24. To promote Indian organic goods in the global markets, he said, APEDA is facilitating the participation of several companies in BioFach, the largest organic food trade fair in Nuremberg, Germany. The four-day fair will start on February 11.

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The country's organic food exports have grown at a steady pace, and over the past decade, exports of organic products have grown from USD 213 million in 2012-13 to USD 494.80 million in 2023 -24. The main export destinations include the USA, European Union, Canada, UK, Switzerland, Australia, Middle East and Asian countries. The major export items are cereals and millets, processed food, tea, spices, dry fruits, sugar, medicinal plant products, pulses, coffee, oil cake/meal and oil seeds.