**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 874 regarding the export of organic food products from India. It provides data on export quantities and values from 2020-21 to 2024-25, explains the reasons for a decline in exports, and outlines government efforts to boost organic food exports. There are no specific deadlines or action items indicated in this document.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Export Data (2020-21 to 2024-25):**
* The document provides a table detailing the quantity (Metric Tons) and value (USD Million) of organic food exports from India for each fiscal year from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
* **Reasons for Export Decline:**
* Sluggish demand in the global market.
* Global trade uncertainties and geopolitical tensions.
* Temporary regulatory changes in destination countries.
* Issues in certification and market perceptions.
* Delisting of some EU certification bodies in 2022.
* **Efforts to Boost Exports:**
* Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) provides financial assistance for development of export infrastructure, quality, and market development.
* APEDA implements the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), which includes accreditation of certification bodies, setting standards, and promoting organic farming.
* The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) implements schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) and Prime Minister Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) to support the food processing sector, including organic foods.
* MoFPI provides financial assistance for creating modern infrastructure and efficient supply chains.
**Impact Analysis**
**Organic Food Exporters:**
**Impact:**
* Affected by declining export volumes and increased certification challenges.
* Benefit from government support through APEDA and MoFPI schemes, which aim to improve infrastructure and market access.
**Action Required:**
* Exporters should seek certification from USDA-NOP or EU-accredited Certification Bodies, depending on the export destination.
* Leverage financial assistance and support offered by APEDA and MoFPI to improve infrastructure, quality, and market access.
**Farmers:**
**Impact:**
* Improved returns due to infrastructure creation and assistance provided through MoFPI schemes.
**Action Required:**
* Access assistance provided at the farm gate to retail outlet to create efficient supply chain management.
**Certification Bodies:**
**Impact:**
* Accreditation process through NPOP.
* Delisting of some EU certification bodies in 2022 affected the sector.
**Action Required:**
* Maintain accreditation under NPOP.
* Adhere to standards for organic production.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI): The primary ministry responsible for food processing, including organic food products, and their exports.
National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP): A scheme implemented by APEDA, involving certification, standards, and promotion of organic production.
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA): Authority under the Ministry of Commerce and Industries that provides financial assistance to exporters, including organic food exporters, and implements NPOP.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY): One of the initiatives and schemes implemented by MoFPI for the development of the food processing sector.
United States of America (USA): Key market for Indian organic food exports and requires USDA-NOP certification.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 874
ANSWERED ON 04TH DECEMBER, 2025
EXPORT OF ORGANIC FOOD PRODUCTS
874. SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI:
Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:
(a) whether the export of organic food products was more than one thousand million United
States dollars and nearly nine lakh metric tons in 2020-21 and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the exports have come down to five hundred million United States dollars in
2023-24 and the quantity has come down to three lakh metric tons in 2024-25 and if so,
the details thereof;
(c) the details of reasons for this sharp decline in the export of organic food products from
the country; and
(d) the efforts being made to push organic food exports in the coming years?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SHRI RAVNEET SINGH)
(a) and (b): The export of organic food products for years 2020-21 to 2024-25 in terms of
quantity (Metric Tons) and value (USD Million) are as follows:
Sr. No. Year Quantity (MT) Value (USD Million)
1. 2020-21 888179.68 1040.95
2. 2021-22 460320.40 771.96
3. 2022-23 312800.51 708.33
4. 2023-24 261029.00 494.80
5. 2024-25 368155.04 665.97
Source: Information provided by the certification bodies accredited under National Programme for
Organic Production (NPOP) on Trace net
(c): There has been a decline in organic food exports from India due to sluggish demand in
global market, global trade uncertainties and geopolitical tensions, temporary regulatory
changes in destination countries, issues in certification and market perceptions. Further, the
United States of America (USA) and European Union (EU) are the key markets for Organic
exports from India. For exports to the USA, exporters have to be certified by USDA-NOP (U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program) accredited Certification
Bodies (CBs) and similarly for export of processed food to EU, the exporters have to be
certified by EU accredited Certification Bodies. In case of the EU, there was a dip in the numberof certification bodies who could certify processed food exports in 2022 due to delisting of
some of the certification bodies, which limited the certification space and increased the
transaction costs for the stakeholders. This also has resulted in decline of organic food exports.
(d): Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)
under Ministry of Commerce and Industries provides Financial Assistance to its member
exporters, including exporters of organic food products, for:
(i) Development of Export Infrastructure
(ii) Quality Development
(iii) Market Development
Further, APEDA is implementing the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP).
The programme involves the accreditation of Certification Bodies, standards for organic
production, promotion of organic farming and marketing, etc. Under the National Programme
for Organic Production (NPOP), operators are certified as per their scope of operation such as
production, processing and trading. APEDA is also conducting training & Capacity Building
programmes and export promotion activities for organic stakeholders across the country.
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) through implementation of various
initiatives and schemes viz. Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY), Prime
Minister Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) and Production
Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industries (PLISFPI) aims for the overall
development of food processing sector including organic food products. Under various
component of the aforementioned schemes, the MoFPI provides financial assistance for
creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to
retail outlet. The infrastructure created and assistance provided aims at providing better returns
to farmers, creation of employment opportunities, reducing wastage, increasing the processing
level and enhancing the export of the processed foods including organic food exports.
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