India has exported a consignment of 10.20 MT of value-added products of organically certified gluten free jackfruit powder and retort packed jackfruit cubes to Germany from Bengaluru on Tuesday (25 May 2021) via sea route. The products were processed at the APEDA assisted pack house owned by Phalada Agro Research Foundations (PARF) in Bengaluru.
PARF is a group of 1500 growers with a wide coverage of about 12,000 acres farms. These cultivators grow Medicinal and aromatic herbs, jackfruit, coconut, mango puree products, coffee and spices.
PARF facilitates the certification process according to the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), European Union (EU), National Organic Programme (US) standards to their small farmers groups. PARF’s processing unit has been certified by APEDA under its accredited Organic Certification.
Few days back, a shipment of 1.2 metric tonne (MT) of fresh jackfruit was exported to London from Tripura. Jackfruits were sourced from the Tripura based Krishi Sanyoga Agro Producer Company Ltd. The consignment was packed at the APEDA assisted pack-house facility of Salt Range Supply Chain Solution Ltd & exported by Kiega EXIM Pvt Ltd. This was the first APEDA assisted pack house for exports to the EU, which was approved in May 2021.
Under National Programme for Organic Production, organic products are grown under a system of agriculture without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides with an environmentally & socially responsible approach.
This method of cultivation works at grassroot level preserving the reproductive & regenerative capacity of the soil, good plant nutrition & sound soil management, produces nutritious food rich in vitality which has resistance to diseases. APEDA is presently implementing the NPOP that involves the accreditation of certification bodies, standards for organic production, promotion of organic farming & marketing etc.
It must be noted that in 2020-21, India produced around 3.49 million tonne of certified organic products that includes all varieties of food products namely sugarcane, cereals, millets, cotton, pulses, aromatic &medicinal plants, oil seeds, vegetables, processed foods, tea, coffee, fruits, spices, dry fruits, etc.
MP has covered largest area under organic certification followed by Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Odisha, Sikkim & Uttar Pradesh.
Source - PIB
