Let's Go Organic: The Growing Demand for Organic Food in India

Organic food is obtained from an agricultural system that aims to avoid the addition of pesticides, growth regulators, man-made fertilizers, and livestock feed additives. This implies that organic food provides consumers with the option to buy products that are free from toxic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Organic food assures customers that the livestock is free from antibiotics or growth hormones. Most importantly, it makes sure that rigid organic cultivation standards have been followed. This is with regard to their impact on soil, water, and air support environmental protection.

Among the upper classes in India, the health benefits associated with organic food and the knowledge of the rise in the number of diseases due to chemical contamination have led to a growing preference for organic food. This gradual emergence of organic food as an essential part of the daily diet among these demographics is a sign of the opportunities available for the organic food sector in the near future. In India, the market for organic food is currently exhibiting strong growth. A major factor behind the demand of the India organic food market is the increasing levels of awareness in the country with regard to health. In fact, Indian consumers have recently started to pay attention to the nutrient content and the quality of the food they eat. This development has led to increasing demand for organic food in the country. Besides, researchers suggest that this demand has been driven by strong economic growth, rising income levels, and urbanization. Apart from this, consumer expenditure on health and wellness products has also contributed to a rise in demand for organic foods.

The organic food industry in India has just begun taking small steps after the pandemic, which seems to herald a promising future for the industry. Currently, India ranks first in Asia but fifth in the world under organic farming. As per the FiBL (Research Institute of Organic Agriculture) & IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) Organics International Report last year, India already has twenty-three lakh hectares of area under organic farming. However, in absolute terms, India grew the most in the world and added around 3.6 lakh hectares of organic land. The same survey further indicates that the organic industry will grow at a faster rate in India due in part to the renewed demand for organic products after the pandemic.

As consumers shift to digital shopping for groceries, organic stores are seeing significant growth. The staunch support of the government has also boosted the demand for organic food in India. The Indian government has also been engaged in promoting organic farming through the provision of financial support to farmers. These farmers have started adopting organic farming under government schemes such as Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) etc. All of these factors have led to a growth in the demand for organic foods in the country.

Sources

https://www.imarcgroup.com/indian-organic-food-market

https://www.deccanherald.com/business/emerging-organic-food-industry-in-post-pandemic-india-1043218.html