What Happened
- India has been designated as the "Country of the Year" at BIOFACH 2026, the world's leading trade fair for organic products, held from 10 to 13 February 2026 in Nuremberg, Germany, with participants from over 100 countries.
- Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal stated that "the organic ecosystem in India is now maturing" and expressed optimism about BIOFACH's potential to accelerate Indian organic exports and strengthen the domestic ecosystem.
- The India Country Pavilion spans 1,074 square metres and features 67 co-exhibitors including organic exporters, Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs), cooperatives, organic laboratories, state government organisations, and commodity boards.
- The participation comes shortly after the conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations on 27 January 2026, making it India's first major international engagement post-FTA.
Static Topic Bridges
National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP)
The National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) is India's primary regulatory and certification framework for organic farming, implemented by APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Launched in 2001, NPOP provides the standards for organic production, accreditation of certification bodies, and the India Organic logo for certified products. Crucially, NPOP has been recognised as equivalent to the organic standards of the European Union and Switzerland, enabling Indian organic products certified under NPOP to be directly accepted in these markets without re-certification.
- Implementing body: APEDA (under Ministry of Commerce and Industry)
- NPOP 8th Edition: updated standards covering crop production, livestock, processing, and labelling
- Equivalence recognition: NPOP standards are recognised by the EU and Switzerland as equivalent to their domestic organic standards
- As of July 2025: 4,712 active organic grower groups covering approximately 19.3 lakh (1.93 million) farmers certified under NPOP
- For domestic market: FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) regulates organic food labelling under the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations, 2017, using the "Jaivik Bharat" logo
Connection to this news: India's showcase at BIOFACH 2026 leverages the NPOP's EU equivalence — organic products certified under NPOP are directly accepted in Europe, making the post-FTA environment particularly favourable for Indian organic exporters seeking zero-duty access to the EU market.
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and MOVCDNER
The Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) is the Government of India's flagship scheme for promoting organic farming, launched in 2015 as a component of the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). It operates as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) with a cluster-based approach, providing end-to-end support from production to certification and marketing. For the North Eastern Region specifically, the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) operates with higher financial assistance, recognising the region's natural suitability for organic farming.
- PKVY (all states except NE): Rs 31,500/ha over 3 years — Rs 15,000 for organic inputs (via DBT), Rs 4,500 for marketing/packaging, Rs 3,000 for certification, Rs 9,000 for training
- MOVCDNER (NE states only): Rs 46,500/ha over 3 years — covers FPO creation, organic inputs, and value chain development
- Total area covered under organic farming since 2015-16: 59.74 lakh hectares
- Sikkim became India's first fully organic state in 2016 (all 75,000 hectares converted); awarded the UN FAO Future Policy Gold Award in 2018
Connection to this news: The maturing organic ecosystem that the Commerce Secretary referenced at BIOFACH is built on these government schemes — PKVY and MOVCDNER have expanded the organic farmer base and certification infrastructure, while the India-EU FTA will now provide the market access to translate this domestic capacity into export growth.
India's Organic Farming Statistics and Global Position
India holds the unique position of having the largest number of organic farmers in the world (approximately 2.3 million) while ranking among the top organic producing nations. However, India's organic farming area as a share of total agricultural land remains low at approximately 2.5%. Madhya Pradesh leads in certified organic area, followed by Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Karnataka. Key organic export products include oil seeds, cereals, spices, tea, pulses, and medicinal plants.
- Organic farmers: approximately 2.3 million — largest globally
- Certified organic area: approximately 4.5 million hectares (about 2.5% of total agricultural land)
- Organic production (FY24): approximately 3.6 million MT of certified organic products
- Organic exports (FY24): 2,61,029 MT valued at approximately Rs 4,008 crore
- Top export destinations: USA, EU, Canada, UK, Switzerland, Australia
- India organic food market size (2024): USD 5.56 billion; projected to reach USD 13.48 billion by 2033 (CAGR 10.4%)
Connection to this news: India's designation as Country of the Year at BIOFACH signals global recognition of its organic ecosystem. The combination of a large farmer base, NPOP-EU equivalence, and the newly concluded India-EU FTA creates a window to significantly expand organic exports, though the low share of organic area (2.5% of farmland) indicates significant room for growth.
Key Facts & Data
- BIOFACH 2026: 10-13 February 2026, Nuremberg, Germany; India designated Country of the Year
- India Country Pavilion: 1,074 sq. metres, 67 co-exhibitors
- India-EU FTA: concluded 27 January 2026
- Indian organic farmers: approximately 2.3 million (largest in the world)
- Certified organic area: approximately 4.5 million hectares (~2.5% of total agricultural land)
- Organic exports FY24: 2,61,029 MT, Rs 4,008 crore
- PKVY assistance: Rs 31,500/ha over 3 years; MOVCDNER: Rs 46,500/ha over 3 years
- Sikkim: India's first fully organic state (2016); UN FAO Future Policy Gold Award (2018)
- NPOP standards: recognised as equivalent by EU and Switzerland