Government Boosts Organic Farming: New Schemes and Subsidies for Farmers

The government is actively promoting organic farming across all states and union territories through the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for the Northeastern Region (MOVCDNER). These schemes provide end-to-end support to farmers, covering everything from production to post-harvest management, training, and capacity building. Their primary goal is to promote climate-resilient, sustainable farming systems based on natural resources, ensuring soil fertility, conservation of natural resources, on-farm nutrient recycling, and reducing farmers' dependence on external inputs.

Expansion of Organic Farming in India:

Since the financial year 2015-16, 59.74 lakh hectares of land have been brought under organic farming. The area covered under organic farming is recorded under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) and the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) under PKVY.

Financial Assistance and Benefits for Farmers:

The PKVY scheme, financial assistance of ₹31,500 per hectare is provided over three years, which includes:

1. ₹15,000 per hectare as Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for organic inputs (both on-farm and off-farm).
2. ₹4,500 per hectare for marketing, packaging, branding, and value addition.
3. ₹3,000 per hectare for organic certification and residue analysis.
4. ₹9,000 per hectare for training, skill development, and capacity building.

The MOVCDNER scheme, financial support of ₹46,500 per hectare is provided over three years, including:

1. ₹32,500 per hectare for organic inputs, with ₹15,000 per hectare directly transferred to farmers through DBT.

Farmers can avail benefits for a maximum of 2 hectares under both schemes.

Organic Certification System:

To ensure quality control of organic products, two types of certification systems have been developed:

1. Third-Party Certification – Conducted under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, aimed at developing the export market.
2. PGS-India Certification – Operated under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, where farmers inspect, assess, and verify each other's organic farming practices.

Ensuring Market Availability: To provide better market access for organic farmers, state governments organize exhibitions, trade fairs, organic festivals, workshops, seminars, and buyer-seller meetings. These initiatives help farmers secure better prices for their organic produce and improve their incomes. The government is taking significant steps to promote organic farming, ensuring that farmers adopt eco-friendly practices while gaining higher profits from their produce.