Biofach India and Organic World Congress: two international events in Delhi

Biofach India together with India Organic from 9 – 11 November will this year be a very special occasion. At the same time the 19th IFOAM Organic World Congress will be held in the halls of the India Expo Mart (IEML) in Greater Noida near New Delhi.

With approximately 2.000 m² of exhibition area at Biofach India, the organiser, NürnbergMesse India, and the Indian co-organiser, the International Competence Center of Organic Agriculture (ICCOA), ensure an impressive offer of products and services. In addition to trends like the traditional Indian healing system, Ayurveda, this year's Biofach India will present by means of Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) certified products from Indian agriculture.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed his attendence

Under the motto “An Organic World through an Organic India” this big event will become the place where organic experts from around the globe come together. High-ranking visitors will attend and the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will underline the the increasing importance of the organic sector for the Indian economy. “Organic has long been more than just a fad,” says Sonia Prashar, the managing director of NürnbergMesse India. “By collaborating, the two events create an ideal platform for experts in the organic industry to discuss and do deals,” explains Dr. Roland Fleck, CEO of the NürnbergMesse Group.

“One aim of the congress is to make the international organic industry aware of the huge potential of organic farming in India,” explains Markus Arbenz, CEO of IFOAM – Organics International. “At the same time, the delegates at this year's Biofach India can see for themselves the varied nature of Indian organics but also the challenges the Indian organic industry is facing.” At the trade fair IFOAM will summarise the results of of its working groups and present the updated report “Organic 3.0”.

The Indian government is promoting organic agriculture and certified products from local sustainable sources, so-called, Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS), with the equivalent of circa 55 million euros in 2016 – 2017. Sonia Prashar emphasises the point: “Biofach India 2017 and the Organic World Congress are taking place at a crucial moment - there has never before been such demand for organic food in the cities. By 2020 we are likely to see the organic market growing by over 25% a year.”

Picture: Politicians meeting with farmers at the BioFach India 2016