Dimapur March 27 (MExN): Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has assured that a central instituted-mechanism would be set up specifically for certifying organic and non-organic agriculture and likened produce from Nagaland so as to deter categorization or genre-specific industrial demands. A speaker from a local fruit-growers society, Molvong Village Pineapple Growers society at the inauguration function had apprised the Union Minister Sharad Pawar of the numerous difficulties being faced by fruit cultivators on account of proper certification on their produce’s organic status. According to the cultivator, retailers/commercial outlets demand whether or not the local produce are organic or chemically-enhanced “which we farmers are ignorant about.”
Pawar in view of this, while acknowledging the problems faced by the cultivators from commercial outlets on the authentication of organic grade, assured of a proper certifying mechanism for cultivators and organic-based cultivators in Nagaland. Radha Singh Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture, also said that Nagaland being rich in horticulture products, substantial income can be generated by local farmers and a proper mechanism to validate organic grades of agriculture produce was needed. She assured priority consideration towards this end.
It may be elucidated that certification of organic/non-organic produce in agriculture and allied sectors is also analogous to patenting as well as authentication of local production. Chemically-treated produce are treated as of lower viability in quality apart from considerations of health factors in the retail sector while untreated/organic produce are of greater demand.
