Lok Sabha Question No. 1551 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-25
Subject: Organic Farming in NER
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RAM PRASAD SARMAH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1551

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  25 TH  JULY, 2017

## ORGANIC FARMING IN NER

## 1551.  SHRI RAM PRASAD SARMAH:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE      ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is fact that organic farming is gaining ground in the country and has become very popular among the consumers particularly in urban areas and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is also fact that climate of the North Eastern Region (NER) particularly Assam is most suitable for organic farming and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has provided any facilities or assistance to farmers for promotion of organic farming in the North Eastern Region;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the  details  of  organic  farmers  benefited  therefrom  during  the  last  three  years, State-wise?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

## ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  कसान  कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã  ½ãñâ  Àã·¾ã  ½ãâ¨ããè (  SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a) & (b): The  increasing  debates  around  the  need  for  sale  &  nutritious  food produced in an  environmentally friendly and sustainable manner has brought organic farming to the centre- stage. The climate of   the   North Eastern Region particularly Assam is most suitable for organic farming  due to its sub - tropical humid climate, high precipitation,  high  biomass  and  existence  of    diverse  microbial  growth.  Moreover,  the region has been under organic cultivation by default.

(c) to (e): Government is also  promoting      organic  farming  under  Mission  Organic Value  Chain  Development  (MOVCDNER),  a  sub  scheme  of  National  Mission  for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), for North Eastern Region for development of certified organic  production  in  a  value  chain  mode  and  to  support  the  development  of  entire value  chain  starting  from  inputs,  seeds,  certification,  to  the  creation  of  facilities  for collection, aggregation, processing marketing and brand building initiatives. Cost of the project is 400 crores (for three years i.e. from 2015-16 to 2017-18).

Under the scheme "Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region" there is a target to form 100 Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) which would cover 2500 Farmers Interest Groups (FIGs), 50000 ha area and 50000 farmers. Against this  target,  2335  FIGs  have  been  formed  covering  an  area  of  47747  ha  and  47089

farmers  in  eight  NE  States.  Till  date  10  Farmer  producer  Companies  have  been registered. The details of  area covered and farmers benefitted is  given at Annexure I.

Annexure I

State-wise Number of FIGs formed, area covered and farmers Mobilized.

| Sr. No.   | States            | Number of FIGs   | Number of FIGs   | Area (in Ha)   | Area (in Ha)   | Farmers Mobilized   | Farmers Mobilized   |
|-----------|-------------------|------------------|------------------|----------------|----------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| Sr. No.   | States            | Target           | Achieve          | Target Area    | Area covered   | Target Farmers      | Farmers Mobilized   |
| 1         | Arunachal Pradesh | 250              | 250              | 5000           | 5000           | 5000                | 4960                |
| 2         | Assam             | 250              | 261              | 5000           | 5000           | 5000                | 5136                |
| 3         | Manipur           | 250              | 230              | 5000           | 5000           | 5000                | 5000                |
| 4         | Mizoram           | 350              | 182              | 7000           | 3846           | 7000                | 5350                |
| 5         | Meghalaya         | 300              | 359              | 6000           | 7180           | 6000                | 5385                |
| 6         | Nagaland          | 300              | 300              | 6000           | 5721           | 6000                | 5928                |
| 7         | Sikkim            | 700              | 641              | 14000          | 14000          | 14000               | 12820               |
| 8         | Tripura           | 100              | 132              | 2000           | 2000           | 2000                | 2510                |
| Total     | Total             | 2500             | 2355             | 50000          | 47747          | 50000               | 47089               |

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