The Tripura government, India, has exported organic products worth Rs 8.79 crore (US$1.06 million) over the past three years and plans to expand organic and natural farming to 50,000 hectares, according to Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath.
Organic farming in the state has increased in recent years, supported by demand for chemical-free production. While only 24 per cent of the state's land is cultivable, efforts are focused on expanding organic practices while maintaining food production.
Under the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for the North Eastern Region, launched in 2016–17 with full central funding, organic cultivation began on around 2,000 hectares. This has expanded to approximately 26,500 hectares over the past eight years.
The number of farmers engaged in organic farming has increased to around 26,884. Organic clusters have expanded from 132 to 1,276, while Farmer-Producer Companies have increased from four to 49.
Production has diversified beyond initial crops such as pineapple, ginger, and chilli. Current cultivation includes bird's eye chilli, Gondhoraj lemon, jackfruit, and orange.
Tripura has established supply linkages with buyers and markets outside the state, including Big Basket in Kolkata and Mother Dairy in Delhi, as well as partnerships in Sikkim and Bengaluru. These channels support distribution to domestic and international markets.
Over the past three years, export volumes have included 554 tons of pineapple, 501 tons of ginger, and 52.5 tons of turmeric, along with smaller volumes of scented rice, chilli, and lemon.
To support logistics and market access, the government has provided transport vehicles to Farmer-Producer Companies and established 10 organic retail outlets, with further expansion planned.
The current focus is on increasing farmer participation and expanding the scale of organic farming in the coming years.
Source: India Today NE
