India, Australia agree to accept each other's organic certification

India and Australia signed an agreement on organic products on Wednesday and accepted each other’s certification for a wide range of organic products. The trade union Ministry said it was expected to make a strong effort to trade between the two countries, while new opportunities for farmers, processors and exporters were opened. India’s agricultural and processed food products Export Development Authority (Apeda) and Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), will jointly implement the mutual recognition arrangement (MRA), a statement from the ministry states. The arrangement reflects growing confidence and confidence in each other’s organic standards and certification systems, the ministry said. It is expected to simplify compliance requirements, cut regulatory barriers and help Indian exporters gain access to the high value of the Australian market. The agreement was signed in the presence of trade secretary Sunil Barthwal, Apeda chairman Abhishek Dev, and Tom Black, first assistant secretary, DAFF, with senior officials and leading exporters. With an emphasis on the importance of the step, Barthwal said: “India’s National Organic Production Program (NPPP) has laid down strict standards that ensure transparency and credibility in the country’s organic ecosystem.” “Organic products should not simply be seen as a certification label, but as part of a larger system that protects integrity, maintains strict quality checks and ensures better income for farmers. With organic products that reach 30-40% higher prices, the arrangement is likely to improve the life’s secretary. Barthwal also underlined the need for proper labeling, fines and strict separation of organic and non-organic products, other than capacity building and advice for farmers. The rapid growth in Sector Swart, which represents the Australian government, praised the rapid growth of the organic sector in India and noted the role of the Indian diaspora in the expansion of organic trade between the two countries. He emphasized that Australia already has 53 million hectares of organic agricultural land, the largest in the world, and has pointed to fresh opportunities in grain, tea, spices, drinks and wines. India’s organic exports to Australia amounted to $ 8.96 million in 2024-25, with consignments of 2,781,58 tonnes, led by products such as Psyllium peel, coconut milk and rice. Mint reported on February 19, 2024, that the center was planning to invest about £ 105 crore to improve organic food test capabilities in two dozen laboratories in the central and state ownership. The move aims to improve the quality of organic food in the domestic market and ensure better prices for farmers. Organic products are grown under a system of agriculture without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, with an environmental and socially responsible approach. According to the Apeda website, India is second in terms of the world’s organic agricultural land and first in terms of the total number of producers. In FY24, India produced about 3.6 million tonnes of certified organic products, which extend over a wide variety of commodities, including oilseeds, fiber, sugar cane, cereals and grains, cotton, pulses, aromatic and medicinal plants, tea, coffee, fruit, spices, dry fruits and processed foods. The country’s organic production is not limited to edible items, but also contains organic cotton fiber and functional food products. Under the states, Maharashtra emerged as the largest producer, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Gujarat. In terms of commodity categories, fiber crops form the largest share, followed by oilseeds, sugar crops, cereals and grains, medicinal and aromatic plants, spices and spices, fresh fruits and vegetables, pulses and tea and coffee. India’s total area under organic cultivation in FY24 was 7.3 million hectares, covering 4.5 million hectares of farm area and 2.8 million hectares of wild area. Madhya Pradesh was responsible for the largest certified organic area, followed by Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Odisha, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Indian organic products have a wide export footprint and reach markets such as the US, the European Union, Canada, UK, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Vietnam, Australia, Thailand, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. During FY24, India exported 2.61 Lakh ton of organic foods, with about $ 494.8 million, emphasizing the growing global demand for its certified organic products.