Organic Farming Business Proposal

PB B A S E M E S T E R V I ORGANIC FARMING PROPOSAL GROUP 6 Iftekhar Ansari, Mujtaba Yameen, Priyamvada Panicker, Akbote Shiva, Vikas D, Jayadev B BBA Semester VI Group VI ingrained tillage B B A S E M E S T E R V I BBA Semester VI Group VI fundamental Farming extreme fertiliser fertiliser Farming Introduction fundamental fireing is the variation of agri frenzyure that relies on techniques such(prenominal) as habilitate rotation, green scatter, compost and biological fel low-pitched control. thoroughgoing farming uses fertilizers and pesticides b bely excludes or strictly limits the use of manufacture (synthetic) fertilizers, pesticides (which acknowledge herbicides, insecticides and kingdom Fungicides), plant branch regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics, intellectual nourishment additives, genetically modi? d organisms, serviceman sewage sludge, and nanomaterials organic fertiliser agri h releasehen methods argon inter home(a)ly regulated and l egally enforced by umteen nations, based in large part on the standards set by the International Federation of primitive commercialise-gardening Movements (IFOAM), an international umbrella organization for fundamental farming organizations established in 1972. IFOAM de? nes the overarching goal of thoroughgoing farming as organic fertilizer agriculture is a masterfessionalduction system that sustains the health of faults, ecosystems and people.It relies on ecological professional personcesses, biodiversity and cycles adapted to topical anesthetic conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. constitutional agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to bene? t the shargond milieu and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all conglome reckon International Federation of extreme kitchen-gardening Movements Since 1990, the market for ingrained products has grown from nonhing, reaching $55 meg in 2009 according to or iginal Monitor (www. organicmonitor. com).This demand has driven a similar ontogenesis in organically take awayd farmland which has grown over the past decade at a compounding rate of 8. 9% per annum. 5 Approximately 37,000,000 hect atomic number 18s (91,000,000 acres) gentlemanwide atomic number 18 now farmed organically, representing approximately 0. 9 percentage of total dry land farmland (2009) History Organic farming (of many particular kinds) was the original type of agriculture, and has been practiced for thousands of years. tone gardening, a fully organic regimen production system which dates from prehistorical times, is thought to be the worlds oldest and nearly resilient agroecosystem.After the industrial revolution had introduced inorganic methods, some of which were not well developed and had serious boldness effects, an organic movement began in the mid-1920s in Central Europe through the ply of Rudolf Steiner, who constraind biodynamic agriculture, an earl y stochastic variable of organic agriculture. Organic agriculture was in numberently developed in the 1940s England through the work of Albert Howard as a reaction to agricultures outgrowth reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Arti? ial fertilizers had been created during the 18th century, initially with superphosphates and then ammonia-based fertilizers manufacture using the Haber-Bosch process developed during World War I. These early fertilizers were cheap, powerful, and easy to transport in bulk. corresponding advances occurred in chemical pesticides in the 1940s, leading to the decade creation referred to as the pesticide era. Although organic farming is prehistoric in the widest finger, Sir Albert Howard is widely considered to be the father of organic farming in the sense that he was a key former of the post-industrial-revolution organic movement.Further work was done by J. I. Rodale in the unit of measuremente kingdoms, Lady eve Balfour in the joined Kingdom, and m any opposites across the world. The ? rst lectures and publications on organic agriculture stem from Rudolf Steiner, howalways, whose Lectures on Agriculture were published in 1925. The modern organic movement is a revival movement in the sense that it seeks to restore balance that was lost when engineering science grew rapidly in the 19th and 20th centuries. Modern organic farming has made up only a fraction of total boorish output from its stolon until today.Increasing environmental awareness in the general population has trans make the originally supply-driven movement to a demand-driven one. bountifulness prices and some government subsidies attracted farmers. In the developing world, many G r o u p V I Organic Farming 1 farmrs farm according to traditional methods which are equal to organic farming more thanover are not certi? ed. In other cases, farmers in the developing world have converted for economic reasons Methods Soil forethought Plants need nitrogen, phosphor us, and potassium, as well as micronutrients and symbiotic relationships with kingdom Fungi and other organisms to ? urish, just getting seemly nitrogen, and particularly synchronization so that plants get enough nitrogen at the right time (when plants need it intimately), is likely the greatest challenge for organic farmers. plume rotation and green muck (cover exploits) help to provide nitrogen through legumes (more precisely, the Fabaceae family) which ? x nitrogen from the atmosphere through symbiosis with rhizobial bacteria. Inter naturalizeping, which is sometimes used for insect and disease control, discharge excessively increase smear nutrients, just now the competition between the legume and the crop can be convoluted and wider spacing between crop rows is involve.Crop resi receivables can be ploughed back into the soil, and discordant plants leave different amounts of nitrogen, potentially aiding synchronization. Organic farmers also use animal manure, certa in processed fertilizers such as germ meal and various mineral powders such as rock phosphate and greensand, a course occurring form of potash which provides potassium. Together these methods help to control erosion. In some cases pH whitethorn need to be am closinged. Natural pH amendments include lime and sulfur, but in the U. S. ome compounds such as iron sulfate, aluminium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and soluble boron products are allowed in oganic farming. Mixed f arm with both livestock and crops can break as ley farms, whereby the land gathers fertility through growing nitrogen-? xing forage grasses such as white medic or alfalfa and grows cash crops or cereals when fertility is established. Farms without livestock (stockless) may ? nd it more dif? cult to maintain fertility, and may bank more on external inputs such as imported manure as well as grain legumes and green manures, although grain legumes may ? limited nitrogen because they are harvested. Horticultural farm s growing fruits and vegetables which operate in protected conditions are often even more dependent upon external inputs. Biological research on soil and soil organisms has proven bene? cial to organic farming. Varieties of bacteria and fungi break down chemicals, plant matter and animal waste into productive soil nutrients. In turn, they introduce bene? ts of healthier yields and more productive soil for future crops. palm with less or no manure display signi? antly disdain yields, due to decreased soil microbe community, providing a healthier, more arable soil system Weed management Organic weed management promotes weed suppression, rather than weed elimination, by enhancing crop competition and phytotoxic effects on weeds. Organic farmers integrate cultural, biological, mechanical, physical and chemical tactics to manage weeds without synthetic herbicides. Organic standards require rotation of annual crops, meaning that a single crop cannot be grown in the same location witho ut a different, intervening crop.Organic crop rotations frequently include weed-suppressive cover crops and crops with dissimilar life cycles to discourage weeds associated with a particular crop. Organic farmers strive to increase soil organic matter content, which can support microorganisms that destroy cat valium weed seeds. Other cultural practices used to enhance crop warringness and reduce weed pressure include selection of competitive crop varieties, high-density planting, tight row spacing, and late planting into warm soil to encourage rapid crop germination.Mechanical and physical weed control practices used on organic farms can be broadly classify as Tillage Turning the soil between crops to incorporate crop residues and soil amendments remove existent weed growth and prepare a seedbed for planting G r o u p V I Organic Farming 2 Cultivation Disturbing the soil after seeding Mowing and slick Removing top growth of weeds Flame weeding and thermal weeding Using heat to kill weeds and Mulching block weed emergence with organic materials, plastic ? lms, or landscape fabric. Some naturally sourced chemicals are allowed for herbicidal use.These include certain formulations of acetic acid (concentrated vinegar), corn gluten meal, and essential oils. A few selective bioherbicides based on fungal pathogens have also been developed. At this time, however, organic herbicides and bioherbicides play a minor role in the organic weed control toolbox. Weeds can be controlled by grazing. For example, geese have been used successfully to weed a range of organic crops including cotton, strawberries, tobacco, and corn, reviving the practice of keeping cotton patch geese, common in the southern U.S. before the 1950s. Similarly, some rice farmers introduce ducks and ? sh to wet paddy ? elds to eat both weeds and insects. Controlling other organisms Organisms aside from weeds that cause problems on organic farms include arthropods (e. g. , insects, mites), nemato des, fungi and bacteria. Organic farmers use a wide range of Integrated Pest Management practices to prevent pests and diseases. These include, but are not limited to, crop rotation and nutrient management sanitation to remove pest habitat provision of habitat for bene? ial organisms selection of pest-resistant crops and animals crop protection using physical barriers, such as row covers and crop diversi? cation through companion planting or establishment of polycultures. Organic farmers often depend on biological pest control, the use of bene? cial organisms to reduce pest populations. Examples of bene? cial insects include minute pirate bugs, big-eyed bugs, and to a lesser extent ladybugs (which tend to ? y away), all of which eat a wide range of pests. Lacewings are also effective, but tend to ? y away. Praying mantis tend to move more slowly and eat less heavily.Parasitoid wasps tend to be effective for their selected prey, but like all small insects can be less effective outdoo rs because the tether controls their movement. Predatory mites are effective for controlling other mites. When these practices are insuf? cient to prevent or control pests an organic farmer may apply a pesticide. With some exceptions, naturally occurring pesticides are allowed for use on organic farms, and synthetic substances are prohibited. Pesticides with different modes of action should be go around to minimize development of pesticide resistance.Naturally derived insecticides allowed for use on organic farms use include bacillus thuringiensis (a bacterial toxin), painted daisy (a chrysanthemum extract), spinosad (a bacterial metabolite), neem (a tree extract) and rotenone (a legume root extract). These are sometimes called green pesticides because they are generally, but not necessarily, safer and more environmentally friendly than synthetic pesticides. Rotenone and pyrethrum are particularly controversial because they work by attacking the nervous system, like most convent ional insecticides.Fewer than 10% of organic farmers use these pesticides regularly one survey found that only 5. 3% of vegetable growers in California use rotenone patch 1. 7% use pyrethrum (Lotter 200326). Naturally derived fungicides allowed for use on organic farms include the bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus and the fungus Trichoderma harzianum. These are mainly effective for diseases affecting roots. Agricultural Research Service scientists have found that caprylic acid, a naturally occurring fatty acid in milk and coconuts, as well as G r o u p V IOrganic Farming 3 other natural plant extracts have antimicrobial characteristics that can help. Compost tea contains a mix of bene? cial microbes, which may attack or out- fight certain plant pathogens, but variability among formulations and preparation methods may contribute to self-contradictory results or even dangerous growth of toxic microbes in compost teas. Some naturally derived pesticides are not allowed for use on organic farms. These include nicotine sulfate, arsenic, and strychnine. Synthetic pesticides allowed for use on organic arms include insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils for insect management and Bordeaux mixture, copper hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate for managing fungi. Genetic modi? cation A key characteristic of organic farming is the rejection of genetically engineered plants and animals. On October 19, 1998, participants at IFOAMs 12th Scienti? c convention issued the Mar del Plata Declaration, where more than 600 delegates from over 60 countries voted unanimously to exclude the use of genetically modi? ed organisms in food production and agriculture.Although opposition to the use of any transgenic technologies in organic farming is strong, agricultural researchers Luis Herrera-Estrella and Ariel Alvarez-Morales exsert to advocate integration of transgenic technologies into organic farming as the optimal means to sustainable agriculture, particularly in the developing world. 32 Similarly, some organic farmers question the rationale behind the ban on the use of genetically engineered seed because they view this kind of biotechnology consistent with organic principles. Although GMOs are excluded from organic farming, there is fretting that the pollen from genetically modi? d crops is increasingly penetrating organic and heirloom seed stocks, making it dif? cult, if not impossible, to keep these genomes from entrance the organic food supply. International trade restrictions limit the availability GMOs to certain countries. The hazards that genetic modi? cation could pose to the environment are hotly contested Economics The economics of organic farming, a sub? eld of agricultural economics, encompasses the entire process and effects of organic farming in terms of sympathetic society, including social follows, prospect costs, unintended consequences, information asymmetries, and economies of scale.Although the scope of economics is bro ad, agricultural economics tends to focus on maximizing yields and ef? ciency at the farm level. Economics takes an anthropocentric approach to the value of the natural world biodiversity, for example, is considered bene? cial only to the extent that it is value by people and increases pro? ts. Some entities such as the European core subsidize organic farming, in large part because these countries want to account for the externalities of rock-bottom pissing use, reduced water contamination, reduced soil erosion, reduced carbon emissions, change magnitude biodiversity, and assorted other bene? s that result from organic farming. traditionalistic organic farming is labor and knowledge-intensive whereas conventional farming is capital-intensive, requiring more energy and manufactured inputs. Organic farmers in California have cited marketing as their greatest obstacle. G r o u p V I Organic Farming 4 Geographic producer distribution The markets for organic products are strongest in North America and Europe, which as of 2001 are estimated to have $6 and $8 one million million independently of the $20 billion orbicular market (Lotter 20036).As of 2007 Australasia has 39% of the total organic farmland, including Australias 1,180,000 hectares (2,900,000 acres) but 97 percent of this land is sprawling rangeland (200735). US sales are 20x as much. (2003). Europe farms 23 percent of global organic farmland (6. 9 million hectares), followed by Latin America with 19 percent (5. 8 million hectares). Asia has 9. 5 percent while North America has 7. 2 percent. Africa has 3 percent. Besides Australia, the countries with the most organic farmland are Argentina (3. 1 million hectares), China (2. 3 million hectares), and the United States (1. million hectares). Much of Argentinas organic farmland is pasture, like that of Australia (2007). Italy, Spain, Germany, Brazil (the worlds largest agricultural exporter), Uruguay, and the UK follow the United States in the amount o f organic land (2007). Growth Organic farmland by world region (2000-2008) As of 2001, the estimated market value of certi? ed organic products was estimated to be $20 billion. By 2002 this was $23 billion and by 2007 more than $46 billion. In recent years both Europe (2007 7. 8 million hectares, European Union 7. 2 million hectares) and North America (2007 2. million hectares) have experienced strong growth in organic farmland. In the EU it grew by 21% in the period 2005 to 2008. However, this growth has occurred under(a) different conditions. While the European Union has shifted agricultural subsidies to organic farmers due to perceived environmental bene? ts, the United States has not, continuing to subsidize some but not all traditional commercial crops, such as corn and sugar. As a result of this policy difference, as of 2008 4. 1% G r o u p V I Organic Farming 5 percent of European Union farmland was organically managed compared to the 0. 6 percent in the U. S.IFOAMs most rec ent edition of The World of Organic Agriculture Statistics and Emerging Trends 2009 lists the countries which had the most hectares in 2007. The awkward with the most organic land is Australia with more than 12 million hectares, followed by Argentina, Brazil and the US. In total 32. 2 million hectares were under organic management in 2007. For 1999 11 million hectares of organically managed land are reported. As organic farming becomes a major commercial force in agriculture, it is likely to gain increasing impact on national agricultural policies and confront some of the scaling challenges faced by conventional agriculture. professionalductivity and pro? tability Various studies ? nd that versus conventional agriculture, organic crops yielded 91%, or 95-100%, along with 50% spurn expenditure on fertilizer and energy, and 97% less pesticides, or 100% for corn and soybean, consuming less energy and zero pesticides. The results were attributed to pass up yields in average and good years but high yields during drought years. A 2007 study digest research from 293 different comparisons into a single study to assess the overall ef? ciency of the two agricultural systems has cogitate that rganic methods could produce enough food on a global per capita basis to sustain the current human population, and potentially an even larger population, without increasing the agricultural land base. (from the abstract) Converted organic farms have lower pre-harvest yields than their conventional counterparts in developed countries (92%) but higher than their low-intensity counterparts in developing countries (132%). This is due to relatively lower adoption of fertilizers and pesticides in the developing world compared to the intensive farming of the developed world. G r o u p V I Organic Farming Organic farms withstand severe weather conditions better than conventional farms, sometimes yielding 70-90% more than conventional farms during droughts. Organic farms are more pro? table in the drier states of the United States, likely due to their superior drought performance. Organic farms expire hurricane damage much better, retaining 20 to 40% more topsoil and smaller economic losses at highly signi? cant levels than their neighbors. Contrary to widespread belief, organic farming can build up soil organic matter better than conventional no-till farming, which suggests semipermanent yield bene? s from organic farming. 56 An 18-year study of organic methods on nutrientdepleted soil, concluded that conventional methods were superior for soil fertility and yield in a cold-temperate climate, parameter that much of the bene? ts from organic farming are derived from imported materials which could not be regarded as self-sustaining. Pro? tability The decreased cost of synthetic fertilizer and pesticide inputs, along with the higher prices that consumers pay for organic produce, contribute to increased pro? ts. Organic farms have been consistently found to be as or more pro? table than conventional farms.Without the price premium, pro? tability is mixed. Organic production was more pro? table in Wisconsin, given price premiums. Sustainability (African case) In 2008 the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Conference on raft and Development (UNCTAD) stated that organic agriculture can be more conducive to food security measures in Africa than most conventional production systems, and that it is more likely to be sustainable in the long-term60 and that yields had more than doubled where organic, or near-organic practices had been used and that soil fertility and drought resistance improved.Employment impact Organic methods often require more labor than traditional farming, therefore it provides rural jobs. G r o u p V I Organic Farming 7 Sales and marketing virtually sales are concentrated in developed nations. These products are what economists call credence goods in that they rely on uncertain certi? cati on. Interest in organic products dropped between 2006 and 2008, and 42% of Americans polled dont trust organic produce. 69% of Americans claim to occasionally buy organic products, down from 73% in 2005.One theory was that consumers were substituting local produce for organic produce. Distributors In the United States, 75% of organic farms are smaller than 2. 5 hectares. In California 2% of the farms account for over half of sales. (Lotter 2003) Small farms join together in cooperatives such as Organic Valley, Inc. to market their goods more effectively. close small cooperative distributors have merged or were acquired by large multinationals such as General Mills, Heinz, ConAgra, Kellogg, and others. In 1982 there were 28 consumer cooperative distributors, but as of 2007 only 3 remained.This consolidation has raised concerns among consumers and journalists of potential fraud and degradation in standards. Most sell their organic products through subsidiaries, under other labels. Or ganic foods also can be a niche in developing nations. It would provide more money and a better opportunity to compete internationally with the huge distributors. Organic prices are much more stable than conventional foods, and the small farms can still compete and have similar prices with the much larger farms that usually take all of the pro? ts. Farmers markets Price premiums are important for the pro? ability of small organic farmers. Farmers selling filmly to consumers at farmers markets have continued to achieve these higher returns. In the United States the number of farmers markets tripled from 1,755 in 1994 to 5,274 in 2009 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 8 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 9 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 10 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 11 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 12 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 13 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 14 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 15 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 16 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 17SWOT ANALYSIS OF Indian ORGA NIC AGRICULTURE (DOMESTIC AND EXPORT MARKET) Organic farming is one such part of agriculture sphere which is unexploited yet. The projects strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are discussed below STRENGTHS Export of organic produce from India is on the rise With organic farming, comes great nutritionary value and better taste There is increased awareness for healthy food in the present generation The realization of the harmful effects of pesticides and presence of their residues is surfacing The international and national certi? ation bodies in the country that are making it easier for the farmers to certify their produce as organic With increased demand, Central and State Governments are providing more land at cheaper rates for Organic Agriculture The Government is also providing higher subsidies Tax holidays are given a higher priority and are being given to the farmers who produce organics Organic produce being a premium product, pro? ratios will be towards the high er end due to the higher prices Sustainability over the long term There is an enhanced soil structure and water in? ltration Reduces non-renewable energy use by decreasing agrochemical needs (these require high quantities of fossil fuel to be produced by reducing carbon levels in the soil) OA promotes biodiversity at all levels of production Duration of the edibility is longer G r o u p V I Organic Farming 18 Drought resistive in nature A major strength is that the only technology OA needs is more of the SUNWEAKNESSES Lack of awareness is the major downside of Organic Agriculture Not only among the customers but also among the farmers Most farmers have small holdings Quality consciousness is low amongst them Lack of marketing skills (mainly due to the disjoint between the agricultural sector and its domestic market not to mention the international market) The market for organics is not consumer-based, but supply oriented There is lower productivity due to the mono-cultured farming Fields may become bland due to the lack or inorganic additives Industrialized agriculture (if a conversion to organic agriculture takes place) exploits the land to an extent where the soil loses its fertility Sowing of seeds is time consuming since direct drilling of seeds (as done in the traditional form of agriculture) increases risk of soil being lost to wind and erosion There is no usage of genetically modi? ed seeds Another major drawback is the time required for the interaction and the observation between the farmer and his crop A requirement for OA is using skilled labor, which is effortful to ? nd Finding the speci? c seeds are not only time consuming, but also more expensive Being more supply oriented, it requires a larger workforce to look after it G r o u p V I Organic Farming 19 OPPORTUNITIES With the ever growing society and economy in the country and in the world, the growth potential for Organic Agriculture is enormous As of 2001, the estimated market value of certi ? ed organic products was estimated to be $20 billion.By 2002 this was $23 billion and by 2007 more than $46 billion and still showing a positive trend on with the market value, the total farmland assigned for OA is also increasing massively The government is also start to believe in this form of farming, hence giving its consent for extensive practice throughout the country The Indian Competence Centre of Organic Agriculture (ICCOA) is a promising initiative towards OA and coifs as a platform for various activities related to its market development With the continuous growth of the sector, it will be providing a vast number of job opportunities OA helps in making people less reliant on generically modi? ed food and moves them towards healthier living The market for organic fertilizers and other organic materials is also growing and making it easier for the farmers to get hold of all the supplies they need G r o u p V I Organic Farming 20 THREATS Dishonesty among the suppliers of the raw materials required, i. e products offered with declarations such as without pesticides, organic etc.Unavailability of actual organic materials such as seeds, fertilizers and more High costs of being a premium product may prevent success in the market Hesitation for purchase by customers due to lack of awareness Land may be to contaminated or may not be convertible for organic agriculture Training unskilled labor may be tougher than judge Although governments are cooperating for organic farming, some state governments still believe this method is unproductive and may not give the required permissions and grants Lives of organic farmers are being made dif? cult by large food conglomerates as they want the consumers to focus only on their products Unpredictable Climatic Factors G r o u p V I Organic Farming 21 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 22 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 23 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 24 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 25 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 26 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 27 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 28 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 29 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 30 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 31G r o u p V I Organic Farming 32 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 33 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 34 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 35 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 36 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 37 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 38 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 39 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 40 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 41 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 42 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 43 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 44 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 45 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 46 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 47 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 48 G r o u p V I Organic Farming 49 APPENDIX Excerpts from our interview with Mr.Samad Patel, Assistant Director, The Department of Agriculture, Gulbarga, Karnataka M How is the Government helping in Organic Farming? S Organic missions are being formed by the governement to pro mote organic farming amongst the farming community. 1 Organic Village It is one of the schemes which promotes organic farming in a hundred acre area in a village per block on a pilot basis, thereby other farmers can learn how to do organic farming. 2 crowing subsidy to bio-degradable, vermi-compost units through Agricultural & Horticultural Department, Industry & Commerce. 3 Establishing organic farming research centers at agricultural universities.M What are the fertilizers allowed in organic farming? S 1 Farm Yard spread out 2 city Compost 3 Vermi-Compost 4 Enriched Compost 5 Green Manure M What is the method of growing the plants in organic farming? S 1 Sowing the seed with recommended dose of naturally occurring organic fertilizer G r o u p V I Organic Farming 50 2 Irrigation of the sowed area 3 Seed gets germinated in 1-2 weeks 4 Process of Weeding 5 Harvesting, once the plant is ready 6 Ploughing the ? eld for the next crop M What are the risks involved with Organic Farming ? S 1 In case of organic farms, there is low yield in the ? rst few years. 2 Pest and Disease management is dif? ult 3 Our soils are addicted to fertilizers and take time to revert back to organic standards 4 It is a very overweight process 5 Organic manure are to be produced by the farms, which is also a long and expensive process 6 Seeds are not easily available 7 High prices may lead to low sales M Is organic food more nutritious than conventional food? S Yes, organic food has more nutritional value and also has better taste. Reason being that it is produced in its natural method. M What does certi? ed organic mean? What is the certi? cation process? S In westbound countries as well as in India, Organic produce is purchased on basis of the certi? cation by various agencies such as the ICCOA. After completion of the initial three years of production, the farmer must enter for the certi? cation. The agency then monitors G r o u p V IOrganic Farming 51 the day-to-day cultivation activities and soil testing, the said agency will certify the farm as organic. M Why does Organic cost more? S It costs more, because the cost of cultivation is higher although the yield obtained is low. The demand is higher when compared to the supply. Also, it is pesticide and fertilizer free and has a higher nutritional value, steering it towards being a healthier alternative. M Is there a national standard for Organic Farming? S No M How do farmers fertilize crops and control pests, diseases and weeds? S Organic farmers fertilize crops by using farmyard manure, vermi-compost, green manure etc. They manage pests by manual appeal of pests 2 Botanical extracts 3 Neem Oil 4 Neem Cake 5 By following integrated pest management methods Diseases are managed by 1 Manual Roughing 2 By using Botanical extracts G r o u p V I Organic Farming 52 3 Some plants have naturally occurring fungicidal properties Weeds are managed by 1 Summer Ploughing 2 Intercultivation 3 Hand Weeding M What subs idies does the government provide for organic farmers? S 1 Vermi-compost per farmer Rs. 6000 Rs. 30000 (depending on the size of the farm) 2 Biogas Unit Rs. 60000 Subsidy 3 City Compost Distributed at 50% subsidy 4 Green Compost Sold at 50% subsidy 5 Biodigester Subsidy of Rs. 0000 (Biodigesters convert organic wastes into a nutrient rich liquid fertilizer and biogas, a renewable source of electrical and heat energy) Irrigation Subsidy Operations & Maintenance subsidy + 6 per cent stakes on cumulative Irrigation investments Operations & Maintenance subsidy + 1 per cent interest on cumulative irrigation investments Power Subsidy G r o u p V I Organic Farming 53 Difference between average cost of production per unit and the average revenue realized per unit multiplied by agricultural power consumption as estimated by APTRANSCO Difference between the cost to serve agriculture and average revenue realisation per unit multiplied by agricultural power consumption as estimated by APTRA NSCODifference between the cost to serve agriculture and average revenue realised per unit multiplied by power consumption as estimated by AP Farmers Federation G r o u p V I Organic Farming 54 ACKNOWLEDGMENT We would like to thank our Entrepreneurship Development faculty, Mrs. Radhika, for giving us the opportunity to create a project report such as this, which was a widely informative and knowledge expression exercise. We also worked in tandem with Mr. Samad Patel, Assistant Director of The Department of Agriculture, Gulbarga, Karnataka, throughout our research. He guided us through our dif? culties and gave us essential information that we needed to complete our analysis. G r o u p V I Organic Farming 55