krishi jagran agriculture world april 2015
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Krishi Jagran, India's No.1 (Agriculture Media Group) How to grow more agri-production with latest scientific methods Events, news, information, product- launch, sports, politics, Entertainment etc. Right choice for agriculture fraternityTRANSCRIPT
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Volume I Issue 4 April-2015 `70 | | |
AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURE
W RLDW RLD
Echoing Sustainable Environment and Agriculture
www.krishijagran.com
Organic Agriculture
Need & Importance
Organic Seed Production
Certication
Quality Assurance Systems in
organic farming
From Organic Agriculture
to Organic Agribusiness
!!!!FarmingFarming
-
AGRICULTURE WORLDAGRICULTURE WORLD
Editorial
Organic food producon is a human need of utmost
importance for his survival and overall physical and
mental development. It is also known as organic farming,
natural farming, ecological farming etc. In all these, the word
'farming' can be replaced with 'agriculture'. It is a philosophy and
a pracce of ecological living. Hence the April issue of Agriculture
World has rightly chosen the theme Organic Farming.
Dr. Chadha, former Deputy Director General, ICAR, and
president of Horcultural Society of India, in his scholarly arcle on Organic Farming:
Concept, Iniaves, Status and Implicaons is very informave. Aer dening briey the
concept of organic farming he presents the global scenario of the same before he comes to
the Indian scene which is treated under the heads such as local iniaves, current status
and export and domesc market, accreditaon and cercaon, potenal crops and
products, markeng opportunies etc.
The rst experience of any one in organic farming a dip in the producon and people
get scared o. Dr. A.K. Yadav president of ICCOA in an interacon with Krishijagran
alleviates such unfounded fears assuring that in few years me the yield becomes at par
with convenonal farming.
Dr. Himanand Semwal, joint director, USOCA, in his detailed and experience based
arcle on Organic Seed Producon Cercaon presents a step by step process and
procedures of technical and administrave aspects of organic seed producon and
cercaon in a very logical and lucid language and in bullet points.
The need and importance of organic agriculture is explained by Dr. K. T. Chandy from
the points of view of role of organic maer in the soil and soil organic management
emphasizing the need to establish organic maer cycle in farming. The eleven concluding
remarks form a kind of eleven laws of organic farming that should be kept in mind.
Dr. A.K. Yadav drawing from his vast experience with GOI in convenonal and
organic farming presents various aspects of the quality assurance systems through various
procedures in the Parcipatory Guarantee System (PGS) of organic farming cercaon of
organic products. The various steps enumerated in PGS process are very informave to
anyone who wants to go for organic cercaon of his crops.
Livestock farming is an integral part of the organic farming as they are a necessary
link in the organic food producon chain. Jintana Indramangala shares her ve year long
experience in an integrated organic livestock and crop producon system in Thailand
emphasizing in praccal organic maer recycling of crop residues through animals and
animals wastes into soil as organic manures thereby establishing the organic maer cycle
in the farm.
One can never forget the business aspects of organic agriculture as it has the three
main components of any business, namely producon, processing and markeng. Aer
briey describing the emergence of organic agriculture in India Manoj Kumar Menon,
execuve director of ICCOA presents his experience of organizing farmers in three villages
near Bangalore into clusters for registraon, group cercaon, training farmers on
harvest planning, grading, labeling and packaging for customized deliveries with the help
of ICCOA. Organizing organic farmers is key to success in organic farming business and this
case study presentaon is an incenve and a methodology for organic agribusiness.
Tradionally most of the farm wastes like crop residues are burned to get rid of them
while the animal dung is used as fuel by most families. However in huge dairy farms the
animal dung is a problem to get rid o. The arcle by kumud Shukla describing the
innovave experience at IARI, Delhi, in composng of urban and IARI instuonal wastes
of crop residues and farm yard manure promotes composng in urban areas. Such
ventures save energy used in the transport of urban wastes out of the city and also
encourage urban people to grow their own food parally at east.
The volunteer programme WWOOF, run by Harish Chander Tewari and Poonam
Tewari as described in the arcle on Organic Farming Internship is certainly a global level
eecve promoonal aempt in organic farming. This serves as a model for internaonal
cooperaon in promong organic farming enterprises especially among the youth
volunteers from various countries in the world to get a handsonexperience on the same.
The interview with Mr. S.P.S. Malik, G. M. soil nutrion products of Excel Crop Care
and Mr Ranjan Kumar Singh, all India product manager helps us to understand the role
played by Excel Crop Care in Sikkim mission. Its product Madhyam is a culture of micro
organisms developed for accelerated aerobic composng of organic wastes.
Similarly an interview with Neeraj Gula of Internaonal Panacea Limited which
produces biotechnology products like bioferlizers, biopescides and enzymes is highly
informave to the organic farmers.
M C Dominic
EditorinChief
Year Rs. US$
1 700 100
2 1300 200
3 1800 300
SUBSCRIPTION
Printed and Published by : M.C. Dominic
Agriculture World, 60/9, 3rd Floor, Yusuf Sarai Market
Near Green Park Metro Station, New Delhi110016
Tel: 01126511845, 26517923, Mob: 9313301029, 9654193353
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Web: www.krishijagran.com, www.kjcommoditynews.com
Printed at : New Pushpak Press Pvt. Ltd. 203, 204 DSIDC Complex
Okhla Industrial Area, Phase 1, New Delhi 110020
IN THIS ISSUE
Editor M.C. Dominic
Director Shiny Emanuel
M.G. Vasan
Sr. ExecutiveEditor Dr. K.T. Chandy
R.K. Teotia
Executive Editor G.S. Saini
Head Editorial Sanjay Kumar
Associate Editor Kumud Shukla
Neha Sachdeva
Senior Correspondent Ruby Jain
Correspondent Aniket Shina
Kanika Chauhan
Kiran Kumari
Admin Head Chetram
HeadMarketing P.S. Saini
DGMMarketing Farha Khan
Sr. ManagerMarketing K.J. Saranya
Hrituparna Banerjee
ManagerMarketing Sara Khan
Asst. ManagerMarketing Sarla Singh
Sarita Singh
Jyoti Sharma
Megha Sharma
Sr. ExecutiveMarketing Afsana Malik
Sujata Gautam
Chunki Bhutia
Poonam Bishwakarma
HeadCirculation Nishant Kr. Taak
Sr. ExecutiveCirculation Chander Dev Bhatt
Rahul Singh
Abdus Samad
Sukumar Dalai
Ritika Goel
Pooja Bisht
Aruna Jana
Head PrePress Dharmendra Kumar
Designing Yogesh Kumar
Office Assistant Devendra Singh
Prem Kumar
Ranjan
D.D. NAIR
VP International Business (Russia & CIS Countries)
6 MikluhoMaklaya STR, Moscow, Russia 117198
Mob: +7903729 98 30, Off.: +7499501 99 10
Email: [email protected]
M. Mezhukanal
Middle East
E16F33, Hamriyah Free Zone, Sharjha, UAE
Ph.: +971502870465, Email: [email protected]
ORGANIC FARMINGConcept, Initiatives, Status and Implications
Organic Agriculture: Need & ImportanceOrganic Farming: Concept, Initiatives, Status and Implications
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 05
Organic Farming Concept, Iniaves, Status and Implicaons..............5
INTERVIEW, Dr. A.K. Yadav...................................................................13
Organic Seed Producon Cercaon..................................................16
INTERVIEW, S.P.K. Malik................................................................20
Organic Agriculture Need & Importance...............................................21
INTERVIEW, Neeraj Gula....................................................................25
Quality Assurance Systems in organic farming .....................................26
Naonal Integraon of Livestockcrop Organic
Farming Project in Thailand..................................................................30
From Organic Agriculture to Organic Agribusiness ..............................32
Waste is Wealth: An IARI Hit.................................................................36
Organic Farming Internship and Volunteer Programs in India..............39
-
AGRICULTURE WORLDAGRICULTURE WORLD
Editorial
Organic food producon is a human need of utmost
importance for his survival and overall physical and
mental development. It is also known as organic farming,
natural farming, ecological farming etc. In all these, the word
'farming' can be replaced with 'agriculture'. It is a philosophy and
a pracce of ecological living. Hence the April issue of Agriculture
World has rightly chosen the theme Organic Farming.
Dr. Chadha, former Deputy Director General, ICAR, and
president of Horcultural Society of India, in his scholarly arcle on Organic Farming:
Concept, Iniaves, Status and Implicaons is very informave. Aer dening briey the
concept of organic farming he presents the global scenario of the same before he comes to
the Indian scene which is treated under the heads such as local iniaves, current status
and export and domesc market, accreditaon and cercaon, potenal crops and
products, markeng opportunies etc.
The rst experience of any one in organic farming a dip in the producon and people
get scared o. Dr. A.K. Yadav president of ICCOA in an interacon with Krishijagran
alleviates such unfounded fears assuring that in few years me the yield becomes at par
with convenonal farming.
Dr. Himanand Semwal, joint director, USOCA, in his detailed and experience based
arcle on Organic Seed Producon Cercaon presents a step by step process and
procedures of technical and administrave aspects of organic seed producon and
cercaon in a very logical and lucid language and in bullet points.
The need and importance of organic agriculture is explained by Dr. K. T. Chandy from
the points of view of role of organic maer in the soil and soil organic management
emphasizing the need to establish organic maer cycle in farming. The eleven concluding
remarks form a kind of eleven laws of organic farming that should be kept in mind.
Dr. A.K. Yadav drawing from his vast experience with GOI in convenonal and
organic farming presents various aspects of the quality assurance systems through various
procedures in the Parcipatory Guarantee System (PGS) of organic farming cercaon of
organic products. The various steps enumerated in PGS process are very informave to
anyone who wants to go for organic cercaon of his crops.
Livestock farming is an integral part of the organic farming as they are a necessary
link in the organic food producon chain. Jintana Indramangala shares her ve year long
experience in an integrated organic livestock and crop producon system in Thailand
emphasizing in praccal organic maer recycling of crop residues through animals and
animals wastes into soil as organic manures thereby establishing the organic maer cycle
in the farm.
One can never forget the business aspects of organic agriculture as it has the three
main components of any business, namely producon, processing and markeng. Aer
briey describing the emergence of organic agriculture in India Manoj Kumar Menon,
execuve director of ICCOA presents his experience of organizing farmers in three villages
near Bangalore into clusters for registraon, group cercaon, training farmers on
harvest planning, grading, labeling and packaging for customized deliveries with the help
of ICCOA. Organizing organic farmers is key to success in organic farming business and this
case study presentaon is an incenve and a methodology for organic agribusiness.
Tradionally most of the farm wastes like crop residues are burned to get rid of them
while the animal dung is used as fuel by most families. However in huge dairy farms the
animal dung is a problem to get rid o. The arcle by kumud Shukla describing the
innovave experience at IARI, Delhi, in composng of urban and IARI instuonal wastes
of crop residues and farm yard manure promotes composng in urban areas. Such
ventures save energy used in the transport of urban wastes out of the city and also
encourage urban people to grow their own food parally at east.
The volunteer programme WWOOF, run by Harish Chander Tewari and Poonam
Tewari as described in the arcle on Organic Farming Internship is certainly a global level
eecve promoonal aempt in organic farming. This serves as a model for internaonal
cooperaon in promong organic farming enterprises especially among the youth
volunteers from various countries in the world to get a handsonexperience on the same.
The interview with Mr. S.P.S. Malik, G. M. soil nutrion products of Excel Crop Care
and Mr Ranjan Kumar Singh, all India product manager helps us to understand the role
played by Excel Crop Care in Sikkim mission. Its product Madhyam is a culture of micro
organisms developed for accelerated aerobic composng of organic wastes.
Similarly an interview with Neeraj Gula of Internaonal Panacea Limited which
produces biotechnology products like bioferlizers, biopescides and enzymes is highly
informave to the organic farmers.
M C Dominic
EditorinChief
Year Rs. US$
1 700 100
2 1300 200
3 1800 300
SUBSCRIPTION
Printed and Published by : M.C. Dominic
Agriculture World, 60/9, 3rd Floor, Yusuf Sarai Market
Near Green Park Metro Station, New Delhi110016
Tel: 01126511845, 26517923, Mob: 9313301029, 9654193353
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Web: www.krishijagran.com, www.kjcommoditynews.com
Printed at : New Pushpak Press Pvt. Ltd. 203, 204 DSIDC Complex
Okhla Industrial Area, Phase 1, New Delhi 110020
IN THIS ISSUE
Editor M.C. Dominic
Director Shiny Emanuel
M.G. Vasan
Sr. ExecutiveEditor Dr. K.T. Chandy
R.K. Teotia
Executive Editor G.S. Saini
Head Editorial Sanjay Kumar
Associate Editor Kumud Shukla
Neha Sachdeva
Senior Correspondent Ruby Jain
Correspondent Aniket Shina
Kanika Chauhan
Kiran Kumari
Admin Head Chetram
HeadMarketing P.S. Saini
DGMMarketing Farha Khan
Sr. ManagerMarketing K.J. Saranya
Hrituparna Banerjee
ManagerMarketing Sara Khan
Asst. ManagerMarketing Sarla Singh
Sarita Singh
Jyoti Sharma
Megha Sharma
Sr. ExecutiveMarketing Afsana Malik
Sujata Gautam
Chunki Bhutia
Poonam Bishwakarma
HeadCirculation Nishant Kr. Taak
Sr. ExecutiveCirculation Chander Dev Bhatt
Rahul Singh
Abdus Samad
Sukumar Dalai
Ritika Goel
Pooja Bisht
Aruna Jana
Head PrePress Dharmendra Kumar
Designing Yogesh Kumar
Office Assistant Devendra Singh
Prem Kumar
Ranjan
D.D. NAIR
VP International Business (Russia & CIS Countries)
6 MikluhoMaklaya STR, Moscow, Russia 117198
Mob: +7903729 98 30, Off.: +7499501 99 10
Email: [email protected]
M. Mezhukanal
Middle East
E16F33, Hamriyah Free Zone, Sharjha, UAE
Ph.: +971502870465, Email: [email protected]
ORGANIC FARMINGConcept, Initiatives, Status and Implications
Organic Agriculture: Need & ImportanceOrganic Farming: Concept, Initiatives, Status and Implications
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 05
Organic Farming Concept, Iniaves, Status and Implicaons..............5
INTERVIEW, Dr. A.K. Yadav...................................................................13
Organic Seed Producon Cercaon..................................................16
INTERVIEW, S.P.K. Malik................................................................20
Organic Agriculture Need & Importance...............................................21
INTERVIEW, Neeraj Gula....................................................................25
Quality Assurance Systems in organic farming .....................................26
Naonal Integraon of Livestockcrop Organic
Farming Project in Thailand..................................................................30
From Organic Agriculture to Organic Agribusiness ..............................32
Waste is Wealth: An IARI Hit.................................................................36
Organic Farming Internship and Volunteer Programs in India..............39
-
www.krishijagran.com
Fig 1a. Total Area under Cercaon (Culvated + Wild Harvest)
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13
(Are
a i
n m
illi
on
ha
)
Years
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Fig. 1b. Culvated Area under Organic Cercaon
0304 0405 0506 0607 0708 0809 0910 1011 1112 1213
Years
1400000
1200000
1000000
800000
600000
400000
200000
0
(Are
a i
n h
a)
Fig. 1c Wild Harvest Collecon area under Organic Cercaon
Years
05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
(Are
a i
n m
illi
on
ha
)
Organic Agriculture: Need & ImportanceOrganic Farming: Concept, Initiatives, Status and Implications
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 06 APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 07
-
www.krishijagran.com
Fig 1a. Total Area under Cercaon (Culvated + Wild Harvest)
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13
(Are
a i
n m
illi
on
ha
)
Years
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Fig. 1b. Culvated Area under Organic Cercaon
0304 0405 0506 0607 0708 0809 0910 1011 1112 1213
Years
1400000
1200000
1000000
800000
600000
400000
200000
0
(Are
a i
n h
a)
Fig. 1c Wild Harvest Collecon area under Organic Cercaon
Years
05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
(Are
a i
n m
illi
on
ha
)
Organic Agriculture: Need & ImportanceOrganic Farming: Concept, Initiatives, Status and Implications
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 06 APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 07
-
Organic Agriculture: Need & ImportanceOrganic Farming: Concept, Initiatives, Status and Implications
Fig. 2 Indian Export and Domesc Market for Organic Products
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Foods Export Domestic Textiles Export
1025
600
840
600
300
525
300
500
150
350
100100 7575150
(Rs c
rore
s)
Years
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 08
S. No. Product Name Producon (in MT)
201011 201112
1 Coon 552388.47 111382.54
2 Cereals & millets (excluding rice) 171684.66 40785.61
3 Rice (Basma and nonBasma) 176683.17 22673.70
4 Pulses 42721.61 12956.69
5 Fruits and Vegetables 335863.10 8227.74
6 Tea 27684.26 5273.34
7 Oil seeds, excluding soybean 360837.17 2849.80
8 Coee 13122.03 1376.54
9 Dry fruits 52369.09 521.46
10 Medicinal & herbal plants 1792014.86 189.27
11 Miscellaneous 221191.96 27.36
Table 1. Producon of dierent commodies under organic management
www.krishijagran.com
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 09
-
Organic Agriculture: Need & ImportanceOrganic Farming: Concept, Initiatives, Status and Implications
Fig. 2 Indian Export and Domesc Market for Organic Products
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Foods Export Domestic Textiles Export
1025
600
840
600
300
525
300
500
150
350
100100 7575150
(Rs c
rore
s)
Years
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 08
S. No. Product Name Producon (in MT)
201011 201112
1 Coon 552388.47 111382.54
2 Cereals & millets (excluding rice) 171684.66 40785.61
3 Rice (Basma and nonBasma) 176683.17 22673.70
4 Pulses 42721.61 12956.69
5 Fruits and Vegetables 335863.10 8227.74
6 Tea 27684.26 5273.34
7 Oil seeds, excluding soybean 360837.17 2849.80
8 Coee 13122.03 1376.54
9 Dry fruits 52369.09 521.46
10 Medicinal & herbal plants 1792014.86 189.27
11 Miscellaneous 221191.96 27.36
Table 1. Producon of dierent commodies under organic management
www.krishijagran.com
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 09
-
www.krishijagran.com
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 11
-
www.krishijagran.com
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 11
-
Organic Agriculture: Need & ImportanceOrganic Farming: Concept, Initiatives, Status and Implications
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 12
www.krishijagran.com
A.K. Yadav, President, International Competence Centre
on Organic Agriculture (ICCOA) and former Director,
NCOF (Ministry of Agriculture) has done extensive work in the
area of organic agriculture in the last decade. Krishi Jagran
interacted with him on current issues relating to organic farming.
There is a myth about organic farming-whether it is feasible in the
Indian context ?
There are several myths prevalent on the subject of organic
farming in India. The rst of these is that there can be a total
switchover to organic farming in the country. Organic farming is
an important factor in quality produce, but it is just not possible
to turn the country 100% organic. There is, however, no debate
on the subject that the quantum of organic produce needs to be
stepped up.
The second myth relating to organic farming is that it leads
to a considerable reduction in productivity. Results from several
trials and studies, including one initiated by IARI, reveal that
production stemming from organic farming is just about 5%
below the level obtained from conventional farming, with the
differences varying from crop to crop. The yield from organic
grain crops is however, low compared to vegetable crops.
In the initial years of any organic farming venture, the yield is
reduced. First, there is the requirement to improve the quality of
the soil with adequate organic content, micro-organisms etc.
When we come to a stage, where, optimum soil quality can be
ensured, then possibly the yields from organic farming will match
those from conventional farming. Another widespread
misconception about organic farming is that those opting for it
are reverting to an earlier era of farming. This is wrong, as today's
organic farming is as scientic as conventional farming, aided as
it is by the latest technologies.
The Government has a vital role to play in the promotion of
organic farming. It has spent considerable sums on promoting
chemical farming and still continues to subsidies fertilizers on a
massive scale. Now, if only 10% the sum involved in this was
spent an organic farming, then the problems faced by it could all
be ironed out.
Does 'Organic' means no use of chemical ?
It is true that organic farming implies no use of synthetic
inputs directly or indirectly in other words, the practice has to be
totally free from chemicals right from sowing to the processing
of the produce. Exceptionally, there can be a minuscule use of
chemicals, but this only to handle some deciency in the soil and
just to improve its organic content. Organic farming can be
started on a modest scale initially, but after two to three years
farmers can opt for it totally. Farmers can utilize the total
biomass produced from the land and convert it to compost or
vermicompost, thereby giving a boost to the whole organic cycle.
It has been observed by scientists that only 30% NPK is
utilized by plants from soil in the case of chemical fertilizers. If
farmers add organic manure to the soil, then the plant use
eciency of NPK can be stepped up to 60%. To this end, green
manure serves as good a function as cattle manure. There exist
many sources for manure other than cow dung. The farmers rst
priority should be to return biomass to the soil.
What are the new technologies in the area of organic farming ?
Technologies relating to organic farming cover three areas:
(i) seeds (ii) nutrient management and (iii) plant protection. In
the case of selection of seeds for Organic farming, GM varieties
should be skipped. Any seed variety which gives good yields can
be used whether it is grown conventionally or organically. Hybrid
seeds can also be grown but there should be no use of chemicals
in seed treatment before sowing.
As far as organic nutrient management is concerned, at one
time there was no option other than using the usual manure. But
now several technologies have been developed to fortify manure.
If, for example, a deciency of microelements is recognized, then
these are added to the manure. Farmers can also resort to foliar
spray with cow urine, 'Panchgavya', 'Jeevamrut' etc. Foliar spray
comes in very handy for top dressing. Several plants also nd
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 13
A.K. Yadav
INTERVIEW
Scaremongering over
dip in productivity
Dr. K. L. Chadha
Former Deputy Director General
(Horculture), ICAR, New Delhi &
President, Horcultural Society of
India, New Delhi
Dr.
-
Organic Agriculture: Need & ImportanceOrganic Farming: Concept, Initiatives, Status and Implications
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 12
www.krishijagran.com
A.K. Yadav, President, International Competence Centre
on Organic Agriculture (ICCOA) and former Director,
NCOF (Ministry of Agriculture) has done extensive work in the
area of organic agriculture in the last decade. Krishi Jagran
interacted with him on current issues relating to organic farming.
There is a myth about organic farming-whether it is feasible in the
Indian context ?
There are several myths prevalent on the subject of organic
farming in India. The rst of these is that there can be a total
switchover to organic farming in the country. Organic farming is
an important factor in quality produce, but it is just not possible
to turn the country 100% organic. There is, however, no debate
on the subject that the quantum of organic produce needs to be
stepped up.
The second myth relating to organic farming is that it leads
to a considerable reduction in productivity. Results from several
trials and studies, including one initiated by IARI, reveal that
production stemming from organic farming is just about 5%
below the level obtained from conventional farming, with the
differences varying from crop to crop. The yield from organic
grain crops is however, low compared to vegetable crops.
In the initial years of any organic farming venture, the yield is
reduced. First, there is the requirement to improve the quality of
the soil with adequate organic content, micro-organisms etc.
When we come to a stage, where, optimum soil quality can be
ensured, then possibly the yields from organic farming will match
those from conventional farming. Another widespread
misconception about organic farming is that those opting for it
are reverting to an earlier era of farming. This is wrong, as today's
organic farming is as scientic as conventional farming, aided as
it is by the latest technologies.
The Government has a vital role to play in the promotion of
organic farming. It has spent considerable sums on promoting
chemical farming and still continues to subsidies fertilizers on a
massive scale. Now, if only 10% the sum involved in this was
spent an organic farming, then the problems faced by it could all
be ironed out.
Does 'Organic' means no use of chemical ?
It is true that organic farming implies no use of synthetic
inputs directly or indirectly in other words, the practice has to be
totally free from chemicals right from sowing to the processing
of the produce. Exceptionally, there can be a minuscule use of
chemicals, but this only to handle some deciency in the soil and
just to improve its organic content. Organic farming can be
started on a modest scale initially, but after two to three years
farmers can opt for it totally. Farmers can utilize the total
biomass produced from the land and convert it to compost or
vermicompost, thereby giving a boost to the whole organic cycle.
It has been observed by scientists that only 30% NPK is
utilized by plants from soil in the case of chemical fertilizers. If
farmers add organic manure to the soil, then the plant use
eciency of NPK can be stepped up to 60%. To this end, green
manure serves as good a function as cattle manure. There exist
many sources for manure other than cow dung. The farmers rst
priority should be to return biomass to the soil.
What are the new technologies in the area of organic farming ?
Technologies relating to organic farming cover three areas:
(i) seeds (ii) nutrient management and (iii) plant protection. In
the case of selection of seeds for Organic farming, GM varieties
should be skipped. Any seed variety which gives good yields can
be used whether it is grown conventionally or organically. Hybrid
seeds can also be grown but there should be no use of chemicals
in seed treatment before sowing.
As far as organic nutrient management is concerned, at one
time there was no option other than using the usual manure. But
now several technologies have been developed to fortify manure.
If, for example, a deciency of microelements is recognized, then
these are added to the manure. Farmers can also resort to foliar
spray with cow urine, 'Panchgavya', 'Jeevamrut' etc. Foliar spray
comes in very handy for top dressing. Several plants also nd
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 13
A.K. Yadav
INTERVIEW
Scaremongering over
dip in productivity
Dr. K. L. Chadha
Former Deputy Director General
(Horculture), ICAR, New Delhi &
President, Horcultural Society of
India, New Delhi
Dr.
-
20 Years
gol ico ai lB Sg on li ud ti iov
no r s
P
Since
BIO-FERTILIZERS
BIO-FUNGICIDES
BIO-INSECTICIDES
GROWTH PROMOTERS
Manufacturing
Bio-inoculants
Consultancy
in
Organic Farming
Result Oriented strain; Tested Globally
Providing solutions for Nutrient, Disease and Pest Management
World class Manufacturing facility
Commercialized more than 40 products
Products Registered under FCO, CIB & RC
Tel. : 011-43667200-06, Fax : 011-23418889, E-mail : [email protected]
Website : www.iplbiotech.com, Toll Free No. : 1800 102 2472, Find us at
I LPTM
f
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 14
special use in making organic fertilizers, like soyabean khali and
neem khali.
Now regarding plant protection technology. In conventional
farming, suggests science if four types of crops are grown, then
the chances of disease spreading are reduced considerably. In
the same way, multiple crops can be resorted to in organic
farming. Several scientists have been working over the past 20
years on replacement of toxic
chemicals. They have come
up w i th severa l usefu l
extracts from plants which
have anti-insect qualities. In
organic farming, the aim also
is not to kill useful insects,
b e c a u s e t h e y p l a y a
benecial role in pollination.
S o s e v e r a l b i o l o g i c a l
methods which result in
useful botanical extracts
h e l p g r e a t l y i n p e s t
management. This line of
action needs to pursued
further and persisted with.
How about certication ? Is
the system satisfactory ?
A p e d a p r o v i d e s
certication for organic
produce and without this
certication there can be no
exports. In addit ion, to
further organic certication, a third party system was launched
in 2000 and this was followed by a Participatory Guarantee
System (PGS) in 2011. PGS will take time to implement, but it is
widely accepted and people are willing to opt for it.
The third party certication procedure is good, but in this
system there is no commitment from the farmer's side as he does
not come through as the 'owner' of the product. Moreover, the
certication cost for a farmer is also very high. If farmers resort
to certication in a group then there is a requirement for a fourth
agency to maintain all the documents. In this instance, there are
four elements, viz: consumer, grower, ICS (Internal Control
System) and third party agency. As two institutional hierarchies
come in to play here, so the farmer is not willing to take this route
and opts to do things himself. So commitment from the farmer's
side is not so good and sometimes even after organic
certication, test results prove the presence of chemical residue,
leading to rejection of export consignments.
As the present third party certication procedure is
unsatisfactory, a way should be found whereby costs are
reduced for farmers so that
b e t t e r c o m m i t m e n t i s
ensured on their part. To
solve this problem to an
extent, the system of PGS
certication was introduced.
In this system, there is no
external agency to handle
m a t t e r s a n d f a r m e r s
themselves make their own
r u l e s f o r f a r m i n g a n d
certication, with a group
leader signing on behalf of
the collective. The National
Centre of Organic Farming
( N C O F ) r e g i s t e r s a n d
certies these groups for
Institutional support. Under
PGS, there is a binding
condition on farmers to
p r a c t i c e o n l y o r g a n i c
farming.
W h a t a r e y o u r
recommendation for farmers
going organic ?
Farmers who are willing to go in for organic farming cannot
do so instantly and completely. First, they need to check out
their manure resources and build up the infrastructure for this.
Only then can they gradually move from conventional to organic
farming. After the resort to four years of organic farming, any
crop can be grown. The only thing that has to be kept in mind is
that there should not be an opting for a select single crop.
Instead, a multiple cropping system should be the rule. In the
Initial years, 30% of the crop should constitute legumes, because
these help crops to biologically x nitrogen in the soil.
www.krishijagran.comINTERVIEWINTERVIEW
Year Rs. US$
1 700 100
2 1300 200
3 1800 300
SUBSCRIPTION
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 15
Introduction of Participatory Guarantee System under the
Government's institutional mechanism is likely to give a further
push to the organic movement and farmers will be able to
access the market with an affordable guarantee system.
Interventions by Central and State agencies have provided a
much needed push and strengthened the condence and
sentiment of growers and market promoters.
Research Institutions have also made signicant strides and
with multi-location and multi-dimensional experiments have
proved that organic agriculture can also yield the comparable
yields with no threat to food security of the Nation.
Besides area expansion and market development, country has
also witnessed signicant progress in development of organic
input production industry, launching of various innovative
inputs, rise in utilization of organic manures, improvement in
manure qualities through mineral fortications and
introduction of regulatory framework for ensuring quality of
commercialized organic inputs.
-
20 Years
gol ico ai lB Sg on li ud ti iov
no r s
P
Since
BIO-FERTILIZERS
BIO-FUNGICIDES
BIO-INSECTICIDES
GROWTH PROMOTERS
Manufacturing
Bio-inoculants
Consultancy
in
Organic Farming
Result Oriented strain; Tested Globally
Providing solutions for Nutrient, Disease and Pest Management
World class Manufacturing facility
Commercialized more than 40 products
Products Registered under FCO, CIB & RC
Tel. : 011-43667200-06, Fax : 011-23418889, E-mail : [email protected]
Website : www.iplbiotech.com, Toll Free No. : 1800 102 2472, Find us at
I LPTM
f
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 14
special use in making organic fertilizers, like soyabean khali and
neem khali.
Now regarding plant protection technology. In conventional
farming, suggests science if four types of crops are grown, then
the chances of disease spreading are reduced considerably. In
the same way, multiple crops can be resorted to in organic
farming. Several scientists have been working over the past 20
years on replacement of toxic
chemicals. They have come
up w i th severa l usefu l
extracts from plants which
have anti-insect qualities. In
organic farming, the aim also
is not to kill useful insects,
b e c a u s e t h e y p l a y a
benecial role in pollination.
S o s e v e r a l b i o l o g i c a l
methods which result in
useful botanical extracts
h e l p g r e a t l y i n p e s t
management. This line of
action needs to pursued
further and persisted with.
How about certication ? Is
the system satisfactory ?
A p e d a p r o v i d e s
certication for organic
produce and without this
certication there can be no
exports. In addit ion, to
further organic certication, a third party system was launched
in 2000 and this was followed by a Participatory Guarantee
System (PGS) in 2011. PGS will take time to implement, but it is
widely accepted and people are willing to opt for it.
The third party certication procedure is good, but in this
system there is no commitment from the farmer's side as he does
not come through as the 'owner' of the product. Moreover, the
certication cost for a farmer is also very high. If farmers resort
to certication in a group then there is a requirement for a fourth
agency to maintain all the documents. In this instance, there are
four elements, viz: consumer, grower, ICS (Internal Control
System) and third party agency. As two institutional hierarchies
come in to play here, so the farmer is not willing to take this route
and opts to do things himself. So commitment from the farmer's
side is not so good and sometimes even after organic
certication, test results prove the presence of chemical residue,
leading to rejection of export consignments.
As the present third party certication procedure is
unsatisfactory, a way should be found whereby costs are
reduced for farmers so that
b e t t e r c o m m i t m e n t i s
ensured on their part. To
solve this problem to an
extent, the system of PGS
certication was introduced.
In this system, there is no
external agency to handle
m a t t e r s a n d f a r m e r s
themselves make their own
r u l e s f o r f a r m i n g a n d
certication, with a group
leader signing on behalf of
the collective. The National
Centre of Organic Farming
( N C O F ) r e g i s t e r s a n d
certies these groups for
Institutional support. Under
PGS, there is a binding
condition on farmers to
p r a c t i c e o n l y o r g a n i c
farming.
W h a t a r e y o u r
recommendation for farmers
going organic ?
Farmers who are willing to go in for organic farming cannot
do so instantly and completely. First, they need to check out
their manure resources and build up the infrastructure for this.
Only then can they gradually move from conventional to organic
farming. After the resort to four years of organic farming, any
crop can be grown. The only thing that has to be kept in mind is
that there should not be an opting for a select single crop.
Instead, a multiple cropping system should be the rule. In the
Initial years, 30% of the crop should constitute legumes, because
these help crops to biologically x nitrogen in the soil.
www.krishijagran.comINTERVIEWINTERVIEW
Year Rs. US$
1 700 100
2 1300 200
3 1800 300
SUBSCRIPTION
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 15
Introduction of Participatory Guarantee System under the
Government's institutional mechanism is likely to give a further
push to the organic movement and farmers will be able to
access the market with an affordable guarantee system.
Interventions by Central and State agencies have provided a
much needed push and strengthened the condence and
sentiment of growers and market promoters.
Research Institutions have also made signicant strides and
with multi-location and multi-dimensional experiments have
proved that organic agriculture can also yield the comparable
yields with no threat to food security of the Nation.
Besides area expansion and market development, country has
also witnessed signicant progress in development of organic
input production industry, launching of various innovative
inputs, rise in utilization of organic manures, improvement in
manure qualities through mineral fortications and
introduction of regulatory framework for ensuring quality of
commercialized organic inputs.
-
Organic agriculture, according to
the FAO, ''is a holisc produc
on management system,
which promotes and enhances agro
e c o s y s t e m h e a l t h , i n c l u d i n g
biodiversity, biological cycles and soil
biological acvity. It emphasises the use
of management pracces in preference
to the use of ofarm inputs, taking into
account that regional condions
require locally adapted systems. This is
accomplished by using, where possible,
agronomic biological and mechanical
methods as opposed to using synthec
materials, to full any specic funcon
within the system". For its part, the
USDA denes organic farming as
follows:
''A system that is designed and
mailed to produce agricultural products
by the use of methods and substances
that maintain the integrity of organic
agricultural products unl they reach
the consumer. This is accomplished by
using , where possible , cultural ,
biological and mechanical methods, as
opposed to using substances, to full
any specic uctuaon within the
system so as to maintain longterm soil
biological acvity ,ensure eecve peak
ORGANIC SEED
Production Certificationmanagement, recycle wastes to return
nutrients to the land; provide aenve
care for farm animals, and handle the
agricultural products without use of
extraneous synthec addives or
processing' ' . Table 1 provides a
comparave view of tradional and
organic farming.
PRINCIPAL AIMS OF ORGANIC
AGRICULTURE
To produce sucient quanes of
high quality food, bre and other
products.
To work compably with natural
cycles and living system through the
soil, plants and animals in the enre
producon system.
To recognise the wider social and
ecological impact of the organic
producon and processing system.
To maintain and increase longterm
ferlity and biological acvity of
soils using locally adapted cultural,
biological and mechanical methods
as opposed to reliance on external
inputs.
Organic Agriculture: Need & ImportanceOrganic Seed Production Certication
Characteriscs Tradional agriculture Organic farming
Basic Own consumpon Commercial
Major Concern Survival Food safety and security
Field preparaon Local pracse Mechanical/Improved tech.
Source of Irrigaon Unidened source Idened source
Cropping intensity / Producvity Low High and beer value
Variety purity Low concern High concern
Inputs (ferlity and Low concern High concern
plant protecon management)
Cercaon Not required Required
Markeng Low concern Serious concern
Crops biodiversity and rotaon Un planned way Planned way
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 16
Table.1 Comparison between the traditional agriculture and organic farming :
To m a i n t a i n a n d e n c o u ra g e
agricultural and natural biodiversity
on the farm and its surrounds
through the use of sustainable
producon systems and the
protecon of plant and wildlife
habitats.
To maintain and conserve genec
diversity through aenon to on
farm management of genec
resources.
To promote the responsible use and
conservaon of water and all life
therein.
To use, as far as possible, renewable
resources in producon and
processing systems and avoid
polluon and waste.
To foster loca l and reg iona l
producon and distribuon.
To create a harmonious balance
between crop producon and
animal husbandry.
To provide living condions that
allow animals to express their
natural behaviour.
To ulise biodegradable, recyclable
and recycled packaging materials.
To provide everyone involved in
organic farming and processing a
quality of life that sases their
basic needs within a safe, secure and
healthy working environment.
To support the establishment of an
enre producon, processing and
distribuon chain which is both
social ly just and ecological ly
responsible.
ORGANIC CERTIFICATION
This is a procedure by which a
cercaon body assesses a farm
or processing unit and assures in
wring that specic standards are
met. The aim is:
To help protect the rights of the
producer and the consumer.
To g i v e u n i q u e n e s s t o t h e
commodity/product in the organic
market.
To build consumer trust and
maintain the organic integrity of the
nished product.
Conrm the fullment of label
regulaons and of legal rules.
Assess the results of the inspecon
in relaon to the requirement of
organic standards.
Provide wrien conrmaon that a
product or process is in compliance
with standards.
CERTIFIED ORGANIC SEED
There are millions of farmers who
do not have sound knowledge about
organic seeds and bioinputs necessary
for organic culvaon. Moreover,
organic seed producon is sll largely a
missing l ink in the organic food
producon chain. Organic farming
requires organic seed. But farmers, so
far, have been selecng and producing
their own seed, which does not full
the essenal requirements with respect
to genec purity and germinaon the
Quality conscious consumers today do
not like heterogeneity in the produce
they purchase. Hence, the Govern
ment and seed companies have to gear
up for the producon of organic seeds,
which requires dual cercaon.
The main problem in organic seed
producon is nutrient management,
disease and pest management and
weed management. Seed borne
diseases , in parcular, require special
aenon. The usual criteria for
convenonal seed quality also apply to
organic seeds.
TYPE OF SEED PROGRAMMES
1. Ocial seed programme: In such a
programme, the government
bears the complete responsibility
for making good quality seed
available to the farmer.
2. Semiocial seed programme:
This consists of establishing a
naonal or state agency to
produce, process and distribute
seeds. This is a more remote form
of government parcipaon.
3. Private seed programme: Private
enterprise prefers to handle
producon and distribuon of
h y b r i d / h i g h y i e l d i n g s e e d
variees.
AGRONOMIC PRINCIPLES FOR
ORGANIC SEED
No synthec input should be
applied in any form during the enre
cropping period in the farms
adopng organic farming.
Monocropping should be avoided
and growing of mulple crops and
adopon of crop rotaon should be
thumb rule. In each combinaon of
mulple crops, legumes should
account for a minimum 30%
producon.
Burning of crops residues should not
be done.
There should be a judicious uliza
on of local/onfarm resources,
such as producon of own seeds,
manure, plant protecon tools,
biomass Soil erosion should be
prevented and conservaon of rain
water ensured.
A n i m a l s a r e a n e s s e n a l
component of organic farming
especially cows and bullocks.
Infrastructure needs to be built up
for compost, vermicompost and
vermiwash preparaons.
www.krishijagran.comINTERVIEW
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 17
-
Organic agriculture, according to
the FAO, ''is a holisc produc
on management system,
which promotes and enhances agro
e c o s y s t e m h e a l t h , i n c l u d i n g
biodiversity, biological cycles and soil
biological acvity. It emphasises the use
of management pracces in preference
to the use of ofarm inputs, taking into
account that regional condions
require locally adapted systems. This is
accomplished by using, where possible,
agronomic biological and mechanical
methods as opposed to using synthec
materials, to full any specic funcon
within the system". For its part, the
USDA denes organic farming as
follows:
''A system that is designed and
mailed to produce agricultural products
by the use of methods and substances
that maintain the integrity of organic
agricultural products unl they reach
the consumer. This is accomplished by
using , where possible , cultural ,
biological and mechanical methods, as
opposed to using substances, to full
any specic uctuaon within the
system so as to maintain longterm soil
biological acvity ,ensure eecve peak
ORGANIC SEED
Production Certificationmanagement, recycle wastes to return
nutrients to the land; provide aenve
care for farm animals, and handle the
agricultural products without use of
extraneous synthec addives or
processing' ' . Table 1 provides a
comparave view of tradional and
organic farming.
PRINCIPAL AIMS OF ORGANIC
AGRICULTURE
To produce sucient quanes of
high quality food, bre and other
products.
To work compably with natural
cycles and living system through the
soil, plants and animals in the enre
producon system.
To recognise the wider social and
ecological impact of the organic
producon and processing system.
To maintain and increase longterm
ferlity and biological acvity of
soils using locally adapted cultural,
biological and mechanical methods
as opposed to reliance on external
inputs.
Organic Agriculture: Need & ImportanceOrganic Seed Production Certication
Characteriscs Tradional agriculture Organic farming
Basic Own consumpon Commercial
Major Concern Survival Food safety and security
Field preparaon Local pracse Mechanical/Improved tech.
Source of Irrigaon Unidened source Idened source
Cropping intensity / Producvity Low High and beer value
Variety purity Low concern High concern
Inputs (ferlity and Low concern High concern
plant protecon management)
Cercaon Not required Required
Markeng Low concern Serious concern
Crops biodiversity and rotaon Un planned way Planned way
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 16
Table.1 Comparison between the traditional agriculture and organic farming :
To m a i n t a i n a n d e n c o u ra g e
agricultural and natural biodiversity
on the farm and its surrounds
through the use of sustainable
producon systems and the
protecon of plant and wildlife
habitats.
To maintain and conserve genec
diversity through aenon to on
farm management of genec
resources.
To promote the responsible use and
conservaon of water and all life
therein.
To use, as far as possible, renewable
resources in producon and
processing systems and avoid
polluon and waste.
To foster loca l and reg iona l
producon and distribuon.
To create a harmonious balance
between crop producon and
animal husbandry.
To provide living condions that
allow animals to express their
natural behaviour.
To ulise biodegradable, recyclable
and recycled packaging materials.
To provide everyone involved in
organic farming and processing a
quality of life that sases their
basic needs within a safe, secure and
healthy working environment.
To support the establishment of an
enre producon, processing and
distribuon chain which is both
social ly just and ecological ly
responsible.
ORGANIC CERTIFICATION
This is a procedure by which a
cercaon body assesses a farm
or processing unit and assures in
wring that specic standards are
met. The aim is:
To help protect the rights of the
producer and the consumer.
To g i v e u n i q u e n e s s t o t h e
commodity/product in the organic
market.
To build consumer trust and
maintain the organic integrity of the
nished product.
Conrm the fullment of label
regulaons and of legal rules.
Assess the results of the inspecon
in relaon to the requirement of
organic standards.
Provide wrien conrmaon that a
product or process is in compliance
with standards.
CERTIFIED ORGANIC SEED
There are millions of farmers who
do not have sound knowledge about
organic seeds and bioinputs necessary
for organic culvaon. Moreover,
organic seed producon is sll largely a
missing l ink in the organic food
producon chain. Organic farming
requires organic seed. But farmers, so
far, have been selecng and producing
their own seed, which does not full
the essenal requirements with respect
to genec purity and germinaon the
Quality conscious consumers today do
not like heterogeneity in the produce
they purchase. Hence, the Govern
ment and seed companies have to gear
up for the producon of organic seeds,
which requires dual cercaon.
The main problem in organic seed
producon is nutrient management,
disease and pest management and
weed management. Seed borne
diseases , in parcular, require special
aenon. The usual criteria for
convenonal seed quality also apply to
organic seeds.
TYPE OF SEED PROGRAMMES
1. Ocial seed programme: In such a
programme, the government
bears the complete responsibility
for making good quality seed
available to the farmer.
2. Semiocial seed programme:
This consists of establishing a
naonal or state agency to
produce, process and distribute
seeds. This is a more remote form
of government parcipaon.
3. Private seed programme: Private
enterprise prefers to handle
producon and distribuon of
h y b r i d / h i g h y i e l d i n g s e e d
variees.
AGRONOMIC PRINCIPLES FOR
ORGANIC SEED
No synthec input should be
applied in any form during the enre
cropping period in the farms
adopng organic farming.
Monocropping should be avoided
and growing of mulple crops and
adopon of crop rotaon should be
thumb rule. In each combinaon of
mulple crops, legumes should
account for a minimum 30%
producon.
Burning of crops residues should not
be done.
There should be a judicious uliza
on of local/onfarm resources,
such as producon of own seeds,
manure, plant protecon tools,
biomass Soil erosion should be
prevented and conservaon of rain
water ensured.
A n i m a l s a r e a n e s s e n a l
component of organic farming
especially cows and bullocks.
Infrastructure needs to be built up
for compost, vermicompost and
vermiwash preparaons.
www.krishijagran.comINTERVIEW
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 17
-
Agroclimac region: A crop
variety to be grown for seed producon
in an area must be adapted to the
p h o t o p e r i o d a n d t e m p e ra t u r e
condions prevailing in that area.
Maintenance of biodiversity is one of
the important requirements for a
successful organic farming ecosystem.
Seed Plot: The plot selected for
seed crop must have the following
characteriscs:
Soil texture and ferlity of plot
s h o u l d b e a c c o rd i n g t o t h e
requirement of the seed crop.
The seed plot should be free from
volunteer plants, weed plants and
other crop plants.
The soil of the seed plot should be
comparavely free from soilborne
diseases and insect pests.
In the preceding season, the same
crop should not have been grown on
this land, this is demanded by the
seed cercaon standards.
It should be feasible to isolate the
p lot as per requirements of
cercaon standards.
ISOLATION/BUFFER ZONE
The seed crop must be isolated
from other nearby elds of the same
crop and other contaminang crops as
per requirements of cercaon
standards. The isolaon of a seed crop is
usually done by providing some
distance between seed elds and other
elds.
SELECTION/ CHOICE OF CROPS AND
VARIETIES
The noed/registered/improved
variety for organic seed producon
must be carefully selected. Except in
exceponal cases it should sasfy the
following criteria:
The variety should be adapted to
the agro climac condions of the
region.
High nutrient demanding crop/
variety should not be grown in the
rst year, but it should be a high
yielder.
The variety should posses other
des i rable ar ibutes: d isease
resistance, earliness, grain quality
etc.
The planng material must full the
s t a n d a r d xe d fo r d i e r e n t
categories of the seed as well as
o r g a n i c c e r c a o n b y t h e
competent cerfying body.
Seed treatment: The seeds may
require treatment before planng if
these are not already appropriately
treated. This can be easily done on the
farm with animal/plant based manure
/compost and recommended micro
organism preparaon.
Seedling dip: Seedlings of various
crops are dipped in the suspension of
r e c o m m e n d e d m i c ro o r ga n i s m
preparaon animal/plant based
manure /compost before transplanng
for a minimum of 30 minutes to 12
hours and transplanted immediately
aer the treatment.
Time of planng: The seed crops
should invariably be sown at their
normal planng me. Depending upon
incidence of disease and pests, some
adjustments can be made. At the me
of planng there should be sucient
soil moisture for germinaon to take
place.
FERTILITY MANAGEMENT
In the nutrion of seed crops,
nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium
and several other elements play an
important role for proper develop
ment of plant and seed.
In general, an adequate supply of
nitrogen is very important for good
healthy growth.
A n appropr iate mulannual
rotaon, including legumes (ferlity
building crops) and crops with
dierent roong depths is required.
The inclusion in a rotaon of green
manure or cover crop can consider
ably increase the eciency with
which nitrogen is used.
Use of benecial microorganism
preparaons improves plant vigour
and producvity. The benecial
microorganisms/bioferlizers on
appl icaon to plants, soi l or
composng pits help in mobilizaon
of various nutrients through their
biological acvity.
DISEASE, INSECT/PEST
MANAGEMENT PLAN
Onfarm made formulaon (animal
and plant based) should be used for
Organic Agriculture: Need & ImportanceOrganic Seed Production Certication
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 18
disease and insect control.
Idened appropriate strains of
microorganism preparaons
should be used under recomme
nded condions and for the
requisite me.
Microorganisms that interfere with
the lifecycle of insect pests and
pathogens oer a means in that they
cannot cause much damage to the
crop. Such organisms selecvely
target their specic hosts without
aecng other organisms. These
organisms include fungi, bacteria
and even viruses.
WEED MANAGEMENT
Good weed management is a basic
requirement in producing good quality
s e e d a n d n o n c h e m i c a l w e e d
management (aer Kopke 2000) should
be resorted to.
Indirect methods
Crop rotaon: Compeon,
complementaries and allelopathy
Fa r m hy g i e n e : C l e a n i n g o f
seed/planng material as well as
cleaning of machinery and tools.
Soil culvaon: Tillage (turning/
non turning) and photobiology.
Improvement of compeveness:
Seed quality, morphology and vigour of
culvars, distance sowing and strategic
ferlisaon and irrigaon.
Direct methods
Mechanical: Hand weeding, use of
chisel nes, disc harrows, spring nes,
rotary hoes, brush weeders and
mulching .
Thermal: Flame weeders, steam
weeders and infrared weeders.
Biological: Grazing with livestock,
classical biocontrol and bioherbicide
microorganisms as weed pathogens.
ROUGING:
Adequate and mely rouging is
e x t r e m e l y i m p o r t a n t i n s e e d
producon. Rouging in most of the eld
crops may be done by the following
stages as per the needs of the seed crop.
(1) Vegetave/preowering stage, (2)
Flowering stage , and (3) maturity stage.
SUPPLEMENTARY POLLINATION
Provision of honey bees in hives in
close proximity to the seed elds of
crops largely crosspollinated by insects
ensures good seed set and higher seed
yields.
IRRIGATION
Irrigaon is essenal to obtain
good seed yields. In general, lighter
soils need more frequent irrigaon than
heavy ones. Soil with organic maer is
very suitable for deriving the maximum
benets from irrigaon.
HARVESTING OF SEED CROPS
Aer the early eld operaons
have been completed and the seed
elds approved for eld standards, the
last eld operaon is harvesng. It is of
great importance to harvest a seed crop
at a me that will allow both the
maximum yield and the best quality
seed. Harvesng , if done at the
appropriate me, gives subsequent
good quality seed. The subsequent
quality of seed is however, dependent
upon the handling of the harvested crop
and the care taken during threshing.
Every eort should be made to
avoid mechanical injury to and
co nta m i n a o n o f s e e d s d u r i n g
threshing. Lot identy and status should
be specied on the container or bags.
The seed produce should be kept
status and varietywise on separate
threshing oors, which should be either
cemented or covered with tarpaulins.
During threshing, care should also be
taken to clean the threshing machine
very thoroughly and to adjust it
properly to avoid contaminaon, and
mechanical injury.
DRYING OF SEEDS
Drying of seeds to safe moisture
limit should be done quickly. There are
several precauons which need to be
taken:
Dont's
Do not start harvesng at moisture percentage more than 18 percent.
Aer harvesng, do not leave the harvested crop on the wet ground.
While combine harvesng, do not use the combine harvester for
another variety, unless it has been
thoroughly cleaned.
STORAGE:
Do not store without proper drying. Do not store in a damp place. Do not mix it with: another variety,
conversion stage and uncered
poron of same crop/ variety.
www.krishijagran.comINTERVIEW
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 19
Dr. Himanand Semwal
Joint Director, Uarakhand
State Organic Cercaon
Agency (USOCA)
-
Agroclimac region: A crop
variety to be grown for seed producon
in an area must be adapted to the
p h o t o p e r i o d a n d t e m p e ra t u r e
condions prevailing in that area.
Maintenance of biodiversity is one of
the important requirements for a
successful organic farming ecosystem.
Seed Plot: The plot selected for
seed crop must have the following
characteriscs:
Soil texture and ferlity of plot
s h o u l d b e a c c o rd i n g t o t h e
requirement of the seed crop.
The seed plot should be free from
volunteer plants, weed plants and
other crop plants.
The soil of the seed plot should be
comparavely free from soilborne
diseases and insect pests.
In the preceding season, the same
crop should not have been grown on
this land, this is demanded by the
seed cercaon standards.
It should be feasible to isolate the
p lot as per requirements of
cercaon standards.
ISOLATION/BUFFER ZONE
The seed crop must be isolated
from other nearby elds of the same
crop and other contaminang crops as
per requirements of cercaon
standards. The isolaon of a seed crop is
usually done by providing some
distance between seed elds and other
elds.
SELECTION/ CHOICE OF CROPS AND
VARIETIES
The noed/registered/improved
variety for organic seed producon
must be carefully selected. Except in
exceponal cases it should sasfy the
following criteria:
The variety should be adapted to
the agro climac condions of the
region.
High nutrient demanding crop/
variety should not be grown in the
rst year, but it should be a high
yielder.
The variety should posses other
des i rable ar ibutes: d isease
resistance, earliness, grain quality
etc.
The planng material must full the
s t a n d a r d xe d fo r d i e r e n t
categories of the seed as well as
o r g a n i c c e r c a o n b y t h e
competent cerfying body.
Seed treatment: The seeds may
require treatment before planng if
these are not already appropriately
treated. This can be easily done on the
farm with animal/plant based manure
/compost and recommended micro
organism preparaon.
Seedling dip: Seedlings of various
crops are dipped in the suspension of
r e c o m m e n d e d m i c ro o r ga n i s m
preparaon animal/plant based
manure /compost before transplanng
for a minimum of 30 minutes to 12
hours and transplanted immediately
aer the treatment.
Time of planng: The seed crops
should invariably be sown at their
normal planng me. Depending upon
incidence of disease and pests, some
adjustments can be made. At the me
of planng there should be sucient
soil moisture for germinaon to take
place.
FERTILITY MANAGEMENT
In the nutrion of seed crops,
nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium
and several other elements play an
important role for proper develop
ment of plant and seed.
In general, an adequate supply of
nitrogen is very important for good
healthy growth.
A n appropr iate mulannual
rotaon, including legumes (ferlity
building crops) and crops with
dierent roong depths is required.
The inclusion in a rotaon of green
manure or cover crop can consider
ably increase the eciency with
which nitrogen is used.
Use of benecial microorganism
preparaons improves plant vigour
and producvity. The benecial
microorganisms/bioferlizers on
appl icaon to plants, soi l or
composng pits help in mobilizaon
of various nutrients through their
biological acvity.
DISEASE, INSECT/PEST
MANAGEMENT PLAN
Onfarm made formulaon (animal
and plant based) should be used for
Organic Agriculture: Need & ImportanceOrganic Seed Production Certication
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 18
disease and insect control.
Idened appropriate strains of
microorganism preparaons
should be used under recomme
nded condions and for the
requisite me.
Microorganisms that interfere with
the lifecycle of insect pests and
pathogens oer a means in that they
cannot cause much damage to the
crop. Such organisms selecvely
target their specic hosts without
aecng other organisms. These
organisms include fungi, bacteria
and even viruses.
WEED MANAGEMENT
Good weed management is a basic
requirement in producing good quality
s e e d a n d n o n c h e m i c a l w e e d
management (aer Kopke 2000) should
be resorted to.
Indirect methods
Crop rotaon: Compeon,
complementaries and allelopathy
Fa r m hy g i e n e : C l e a n i n g o f
seed/planng material as well as
cleaning of machinery and tools.
Soil culvaon: Tillage (turning/
non turning) and photobiology.
Improvement of compeveness:
Seed quality, morphology and vigour of
culvars, distance sowing and strategic
ferlisaon and irrigaon.
Direct methods
Mechanical: Hand weeding, use of
chisel nes, disc harrows, spring nes,
rotary hoes, brush weeders and
mulching .
Thermal: Flame weeders, steam
weeders and infrared weeders.
Biological: Grazing with livestock,
classical biocontrol and bioherbicide
microorganisms as weed pathogens.
ROUGING:
Adequate and mely rouging is
e x t r e m e l y i m p o r t a n t i n s e e d
producon. Rouging in most of the eld
crops may be done by the following
stages as per the needs of the seed crop.
(1) Vegetave/preowering stage, (2)
Flowering stage , and (3) maturity stage.
SUPPLEMENTARY POLLINATION
Provision of honey bees in hives in
close proximity to the seed elds of
crops largely crosspollinated by insects
ensures good seed set and higher seed
yields.
IRRIGATION
Irrigaon is essenal to obtain
good seed yields. In general, lighter
soils need more frequent irrigaon than
heavy ones. Soil with organic maer is
very suitable for deriving the maximum
benets from irrigaon.
HARVESTING OF SEED CROPS
Aer the early eld operaons
have been completed and the seed
elds approved for eld standards, the
last eld operaon is harvesng. It is of
great importance to harvest a seed crop
at a me that will allow both the
maximum yield and the best quality
seed. Harvesng , if done at the
appropriate me, gives subsequent
good quality seed. The subsequent
quality of seed is however, dependent
upon the handling of the harvested crop
and the care taken during threshing.
Every eort should be made to
avoid mechanical injury to and
co nta m i n a o n o f s e e d s d u r i n g
threshing. Lot identy and status should
be specied on the container or bags.
The seed produce should be kept
status and varietywise on separate
threshing oors, which should be either
cemented or covered with tarpaulins.
During threshing, care should also be
taken to clean the threshing machine
very thoroughly and to adjust it
properly to avoid contaminaon, and
mechanical injury.
DRYING OF SEEDS
Drying of seeds to safe moisture
limit should be done quickly. There are
several precauons which need to be
taken:
Dont's
Do not start harvesng at moisture percentage more than 18 percent.
Aer harvesng, do not leave the harvested crop on the wet ground.
While combine harvesng, do not use the combine harvester for
another variety, unless it has been
thoroughly cleaned.
STORAGE:
Do not store without proper drying. Do not store in a damp place. Do not mix it with: another variety,
conversion stage and uncered
poron of same crop/ variety.
www.krishijagran.comINTERVIEW
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 19
Dr. Himanand Semwal
Joint Director, Uarakhand
State Organic Cercaon
Agency (USOCA)
-
Excel has a via 'Madhyam'
Excel Crop Care limited is well known company for the
producon and Markeng of agrochemicals,
specialized ferlizers, Bio Pescides and soil Nutrion
products. They had also partnered with many state
governments and provided training to many farming
communies in IPM and organic culvaon. Krishi Jagran
interacted with Mr. SPS Malik, GM, Soil Nutrion Products, of
Excel Crop Care and Mr Ranjan Kumar Singh, all India Product
Manager to understand the role played by Excel in the Sikkim
Organic Mission. Mr. Ranjan has from several state
governments instuo the Soil Health Services Award from
the UP Governor recently for making a valuable contribuon
to agriculture extension. The role of Mr. Ranjan in the
promoon of the Sikkim Organic Mission has been
exemplary. This has been achieved largely through
disseminaon of informaon, knowledge and promoon of
Aerobic composng through Excel's Product , 'Madhyam'.
Sikkim will be the rst wholly organic state in the country by
this year end. What role has Excel played in the
achievement of this target ?
The Sikkim Government decided as early as 2003 to
make the state fully organic by 2015. Excel has been working
with the state government over the past three years as a
resource instuon. It has been training farmers in organic
farming in 30 'Livelihood Schools' spread all over the state.
Apart from this, the government had adopted one village
in every district and introduced an integrated farming system
(IFS) there. IFS is Integraon of various agricultural
departments and enterprises viz., cropping, animal
husbandry, sheries, forestry, etc., in one plaorm, which not
only helps supplement the income of the farmers but also
helps promote employment. Excel is working in each of these
IFS villages on behalf of the Agriculture and Horculture
Departments and helping to create interest in organic
farming. It is providing training in Krishi Vigyan Kendras as
also at the Panchayat level.
Aiding the farmers greatly in taking up organic farming in
Excel's product, 'Madhyam' compost (see box). Training is
provided to them in how to make organic manure in bulk with
the help of 'Madhyam'. Excel has given more than 200
demonstraons ll now.
Earlier, the farmers praccing organic farming were not
adopng proper methodologies. They were ulizing raw cow
dung as compost which led to infestaon as also problems
with weeds. To obviate these dicules, The company advise
them to adopt the 'Madhyam' inoculants. So now the farmers
are mixing the cow dung and agriculture biomass with their
product and this is adding to soil ferlity. The use of only 1 kg
of 'Madhyam' can help prepare 1 tonne of waste compost.
Gurbisey Namchi, the village from which Chief Minister
Chambling's wife hails, has widely adopted 'Madhyam'. As a
result, the potato, tomato, cardamom and ginger crops grown
these have beneed greatly. Earlier, farmers in the state
were not growing potatoes, but aer 'Madhyam' was
introduced, they have started culvang these on a large
scale.
Is 'Madhyam' in use in other states ?
Punjab, Chashgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya
Pradesh and Uar Pradesh are other states where 'Madhyam'
is being ulized with good results.
Are you planning to launch any new product?
W e h a v e
introducing two new
biopescides, Tricho
HR and Sudocel, and
h a v e g o t o r g a n i c
cercaon for these.
These biopescides
w o r k e e c v e l y
a g a i n s t s o i l b o r n
disease, black rot, wilt
and root rot.
A training session in progress One of the livelihood schools
WHAT IS ' MADHYAM'?
Madhyam is a culture of
m i c r o - o r g a n i s m s
d e v e l o p e d f o r
acce le ra ted aerob ic
composting of organic
waste. Waste to which
this product is added
becomes more r i ch
organically and can be
used in lawns, nurseries
or in the farmer's fields.
The recommended dose
is 1kg for 1mt of organic
waste. If the waste is dry,
prepare a slurry using 30 ltr. of water per 1 kg of
Madhyam and then spray onto the waste. Turn over the
compost heap every week for proper aeration. Under
normal conditions, the composting process should be
complete within 4-6 weeks.
INTERVIEWINTERVIEW
Results before and aer Madhyam treatment
Organic Agriculture: Need & ImportanceOrganic Agriculture: Need & Importance
Organic Agriculture
Need & Importance
APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 20 APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 21
-
Excel has a via 'Madhyam'
Excel Crop Care limited is well known company for the
producon and Markeng of agrochemicals,
specialized ferlizers, Bio Pescides and soil Nutrion
products. They had also partnered with many state
governments and provided training to many farming
communies in IPM and organic culvaon. Krishi Jagran
interacted with Mr. SPS Malik, GM, Soil Nutrion Products, of
Excel Crop Care and Mr Ranjan Kumar Singh, all India Product
Manager to understand the role played by Excel in the Sikkim
Organic Mission. Mr. Ranjan has from several state
governments instuo the Soil Health Services Award from
the UP Governor recently for making a valuable contribuon
to agriculture extension. The role of Mr. Ranjan in the
promoon of the Sikkim Organic Mission has been
exemplary. This has been achieved largely through
disseminaon of informaon, knowledge and promoon of
Aerobic composng through Excel's Product , 'Madhyam'.
Sikkim will be the rst wholly organic state in the country by
this year end. What role has Excel played in the
achievement of this target ?
The Sikkim Government decided as early as 2003 to
make the state fully organic by 2015. Excel has been working
with the state government over the past three years as a
resource instuon. It has been training farmers in organic
farming in 30 'Livelihood Schools' spread all over the state.
Apart from this, the government had adopted one village
in every district and introduced an integrated farming system
(IFS) there. IFS is Integraon of various agricultural
departments and enterprises viz., cropping, animal
husbandry, sheries, forestry, etc., in one plaorm, which not
only helps supplement the income of the farmers but also
helps promote employment. Excel is working in each of these
IFS villages on behalf of the Agriculture and Horculture
Departments and helping to create interest in organic
farming. It is providing training in Krishi Vigyan Kendras as
also at the Panchayat level.
Aiding the farmers greatly in taking up organic farming in
Excel's product, 'Madhyam' compost (see box). Training is
provided to them in how to make organic manure in bulk with
the help of 'Madhyam'. Excel has given more than 200
demonstraons ll now.
Earlier, the farmers praccing organic farming were not
adopng proper methodologies. They were ulizing raw cow
dung as compost which led to infestaon as also problems
with weeds. To obviate these dicules, The company advise
them to adopt the 'Madhyam' inoculants. So now the farmers
are mixing the cow dung and agriculture biomass with their
product and this is adding to soil ferlity. The use of only 1 kg
of 'Madhyam' can help prepare 1 tonne of waste compost.
Gurbisey Namchi, the village from which Chief Minister
Chambling's wife hails, has widely adopted 'Madhyam'. As a
result, the potato, tomato, cardamom and ginger crops grown
these have beneed greatly. Earlier, farmers in the state
were not growing potatoes, but aer 'Madhyam' was
introduced, they have started culvang these on a large
scale.
Is 'Madhyam' in use in other states ?
Punjab, Chashgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya
Pradesh and Uar Pradesh are other states where 'Madhyam'
is being ulized with good results.
Are you planning to launch any new product?
W e h a v e
introducing two new
biopescides, Tricho
HR and Sudocel, and
h a v e g o t o r g a n i c
cercaon for these.
These biopescides
w o r k e e c v e l y
a g a i n s t s o i l b o r n
disease, black rot, wilt
and root rot.
A trai