“Health consciousness of people about food and non-food products and their consumption is dramatically changing in favour of organic products. Though organically managed farms produce lower yields (particularly in the initial years) than conventional chemical-based farming, health consciousness has led to consumers being prepared to pay higher premiums (up to 70 per cent extra), particularly in the international market, which greatly helps in increasing the overall profits.”

Moreover, advances in technologies for efficient organic management of soil fertility and pests are making it possible to raise the agriculture productivity and profitability of organic farms and also conservation of agro-ecosystem.

Because of such realizations market demand and opportunities for organic products is rapidly gaining momentum rapidly. To take advantage, innovative farmers in selected zones can be motivated to shift from conventional farming to organic farming systems. These farmers need to be trained about the “why, what, where and how” of organic production, processing and marketing.

Organic farming means using such cultural, biological methods that maintain long-term sustainable soil biological activity, recycle organic wastes to return nutrients to the soil, provide alternate care for livestock and not using extraneous synthetic chemical fertilizers additives for growing crops or for post-harvest processing (chemical preservatives) so that the integrity of organic products is maintained until they reach the consumers.