International_EN

Mission possible: a 100 percent organic world

International_EN Asia

Consumers are thronging shops, farmers’ markets, e-commerce portals and even organic farms for fresh, quality organic products. Farmers, too, are gradually distancing themselves from conventional cultivation, given the high costs and negative health impact associated with chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Furthermore, Organic is now receiving policy support and has become an integral part of government programmes for agriculture. Therefore, the moment is ripe to initiate ‘Mission Possible: Organic as a Global Phenomenon’—a collective and multipronged endeavour to convert the world into organic, asumes the Senior Scientist Dr Arun K. Sharma, who has published "A Handbook of Organic Farming".

India: BIIO showed many business opportunities and a market overview

International_EN Asia

BioFach India together with India Organic (BIIO) took place parallel to the IFOAM Organic World Congress (OWC) from 9 to 11 November 2017, at the India Expo Mart (IEML) in Greater Noida, near New Delhi. The organic fair duo was an excellent meeting place for the international organic sector. The 184 organic exhibitors at the 9th organic trade fair welcomed 9,645 visitors at the three days´event. Exhibitors as well as visitors benefited from the unique cooperation and synergy of the organic events. Watch the video with impressions and interviews.

Sikkim: An organic vision becomes reality

International_EN Asia

Sikkim, a small northeastern Himalayan state between Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan that boarders China in the North, made an important decision in 2010. Chief Minister Sri Pawan Chamling had a visionary goal: he wanted to place the state’s entire agriculture land under organic management. To achieve his goal, Chamling launched the Sikkim Organic Mission and within 15 years, the entire agriculture process was converted to organic, and Sikkim was declared “Organic State“ in 2016. This is a worldwide lighthouse example for further conversion of lands towards a 100% organic status. Watch the Video.

Asia making strides in global organic food market

International_EN Asia

Asia is showing some of the highest growth in the global organic food market. New research by Ecovia Intelligence shows that some Asian country markets are reporting double-digit growth rates, with regional sales poised to reach US $10 billion in the coming years.

India: Organic & Millets 2018- International Trade Fair

International_EN Asia

Organic & Millets 2018 trade fair will take place on 19th - 21st January 2018 in Bangalore South India. The exhibition from leading companies in organic agribusiness and state goverments offers B2B Meetings, B2C events, international and domestic Buyers Delegation, International Conference and Farmers Workshop.

India: PGS supporting organic

International_EN Asia

The Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) is a locally focused quality assurance system built on trust, social networks and knowledge exchange. In the South of India there are some interesting examples.

IFOAM: new President and new Executive Director coming

International_EN Asia

On the General Assembly of IFOAM – Organics International in New Delhi, a new World Board and a new President will be elected. Half a year later, there will be also a change of Executive Director. Succession planning is ongoing.

OWC: biggest organic farming event on the planet

International_EN Asia

The Organic World Congress (OWC) is a global forum for organic farming and organic agriculture. It is coming to India for the first time in 40 years and will take place from 9-11 November 2017 Greater Noida, New Delhi. The event will play a critical role in strengthening the world organic farming movement and tilting India’s agricultural. According to the organizers the OWC will welcome around 3,000 delegates from 110 countries. As a parallel event BioFach India together with India Organic Trade Fair will take place at the same venue.

Countdown for the Organic World Congress

International_EN Asia

The countdown for the 19th Organic World Congress of IFOAM Organics International is running. From 9 - 12 November it will take place in Noida (New Delhi).

Study „Failed promises - the rise and fall of GM cotton in India

International_EN Asia

The Soil Association’s recent report about GM cotton in India was launched at the Textile Exchange sustainability Conference in Washington DC last week. 

India: GMOs in GOTS-certified organic cotton

International_EN Asia

With GMO cotton first having been grown in India in 2002, its share of all cotton is now well over 90 percent. Now, the Swiss magazine Saldo has carried out research in India and has had GOTS-certified organic yarn tested. A German laboratory revealed a high level of GMO contamination.

Strike in Darjeeling settled – consequences expected until 2018

International_EN Asia

The strike of tea pickers in the famous tea growing region Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal has come to an end after 104 days. Organic quality tea from Darjeeling is highly regarded all over the world. We asked organic tea firms about the impact the strike is having. Many organic tea manufacturers have sufficient stocks for 2017. But the fact is that bottlenecks in supply could continue into next year and also that the strike has caused great financial damage. Impressions from Darjeeling and a video interview with tea garden owner Gautam Mohan. 

An Indian organic journey: Namu & Misha´s reunion

International_EN Asia

When old school friends Namu Kini and Misha Gill reunited as young mothers in their 30s, both decided to chuck up their corporate jobs and embark on an organic journey together. They took the decision to quit their high powered careers to dive into their true passion - creating an organic food company which would offer people healthy, tasty and pure food. Thus was happyhealthyme (HHM) conceived.

Arla Foods: organic milk brand for the Middle East

International_EN Asia

Arla Foods has launched its first branded organic milk in the Middle East: Arla Organic^® Milk is now available in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Middle East is the company's biggest strategic growth market outside Europe.

Sikkim Organic State – a best practice example for other states

International_EN Asia

According to The Hindu online the Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Parshottam Rupala, informed that the government is increasingly focusing on organic farming to boost production of nutritionally rich agri produce.

Ageing population & food safety driving organic sales in Asia

International_EN Asia

The Asian organic market will witness 10% annual growth till 2020, largely owing to an increasing ageing population with greater life expectancy than before, as well as, widespread food safety concerns due to a slew of food scandals that have come to light in recent years.

This article was first published in the magazine Pure&Eco India and can be published in www.organic-market.info due to a fruitful cooperation of our magazines. 

India: World Bank invests into organic

International_EN Asia

The Indian enterprise Suminter India Organics is working together with the Wold Bank arm IFC and will be supported with an investment of $25 million to source products from an additional 14,000 farmers.

Thailand: BIOFACH SOUTH EAST ASIA starting in 2018

International_EN Asia

As the seventh member of the BIOFACH-family, the new BIOFACH SOUTHEAST ASIA fair will open its doors from 12^th – 15^th July 2018 at the IMPACT Exhibition Center in Nonthaburi, Bangkok.

India: Biowaste-driven cold storage project by Fraunhofer UMSICHT

International_EN Asia

As developing and emerging countries usually lack the infrastructure for transporting, processing and refrigerating the food they produce, about a third of it is lost through spoilage. At the same time, inadequate waste disposal means that hygiene is a big issue for people in these countries. Collaborating with the Indian cooperation partner Nupur Technomy, Fraunhofer UMSICHT has developed a technological concept that addresses the two problems of waste disposal and reliable refrigeration for food. The solution lies in creating a cold storage for food by making use of biowaste.

India: Central government’s ultimate decision on GM mustard likely in September

International_EN Asia

The question whether the commercial rollout of GM mustard will be allowed in India is still unacknowledged. As India’s sowing season usually starts in October, the central government, located in New Delhi, plans to make its final decision on GM mustard by September.

Sustainable Foods Summit comes to Asia

International_EN Asia

Ecovia Intelligence is taking the Sustainable Foods Summit to Asia. The premier Asia-Pacific edition of the Sustainable Foods Summit will hone in on organic market potential, food fraud & authenticity, sustainable ingredients, and marketing best-practices.

BioFach India: Buyers´Delegation for sourcing

International_EN Asia

As in previous years, the Indian organisation ICCOA is offering a program for sourcing organic from India at BioFach India. The international trade fair will be held from 9 – 11 November 2017 in Noida/Delhi, running parallel with the IFOAM World Congress.

India: FSSAI issues draft regulations for organic food products

International_EN Asia

Seeking to ensure that organic food products really are organic, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released a draft regulation for organic food.

BioFach China with more exhibitors and visitors

International_EN Asia

The  eleventh  BioFach China end of May counted more  exhibitors  and  visitors and was more international too.

Organic World Congress: Pre-conference on animal husbandry

International_EN Asia

On 7 and 8 November 2017, the conference "Role of livestock in sustainable agriculture" will take place as a preconference of the Organic World Congress in Dehli, India.