“Organic agriculture can play an important role to achieve the goals of the Convention on Biodiversity, in the global context of the Millennium Development Goals, by significantly reducing the current rate of biodiversity loss. In addition, organic farming offers direct economic benefits to resource-poor farmers and thereby makes an important contribution to both poverty alleviation and sustainable development.”

The organic movement is truly not as new as we all tend to believe it is. Organic food was initially seen as a fad observed by the eccentric few, however today it has become more widespread. “Organics have come to represent a safe house in a disturbing world where food quality and safety are constantly under siege”

In chemical industry is an integral component of the Indian economy, contributing around 6.7 per cent of the Indian GDP. It touches our lives in many different ways. Whether it is thermoplastic furniture we use, or a synthetic garment we wear, or a drug we consume – we are inextricably linked to it. The industry is a vital part of the agricultural and industrial development in India and has key linkages with several other downstream industries such as automotive, consumer durables, engineering, food processing, etc. Globalization poses several challenges to the industry that has predominantly developed in a protected environment. With World Trade Organization (WTO) assuming an increasing role in international economics

EVALUATING THE POTENTIAL OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

The countries with largest area under Organic cultivation

                       POTENTIAL IMPACTS      

            Long-term productivity

            Agro-ecological considerations

            Economic considerations

            Social and institutional constraints

            Crop rotation   

            Yield

CURRENT SENARIO AND THE FEASIBILITY OF ORGANIC                                    AGRICULTURE

It is difficult to assess the likelihood of success in organic agriculture. Several concerns need to be born in mind when evaluating the feasibility of organic agriculture in a given environment. These factors include: parameters reflecting greater "sustainability" do not necessarily imply organic practices;

       In practice, it will often be difficult to differentiate between the effect of different factors on a farming system, as the introduction of organic management could be not the only change at the time (for example, a number of years with very (un)favorable weather conditions) some parameters (such as yield) need to be averaged over a number of years, as factors other than the management system influence variability between years (for example, weather);

        Many of the changes may be observable only in the long-term, such as changes in yield or soil; Because organic agriculture is such an under-researched area, conditions which initially seem difficult may be easy to cope with after some experience has been gained, and vice versa; Organic farmer’s burn to clear land which reduces fertility. Many resource-poor farmers do not have access to livestock manure, often an important fertility component. Sometimes sewage sludge is used, which may contain pathogens and other contaminants. Finally, some areas in tropical countries may have such low soil fertility that synthetic inputs are necessary.

         What is organic food? Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Organic Companies The recent interest in the organic industry has sparked the interest of many businesses. Among these businesses are large companies that seek to distribute many products in large amounts to the Indian market. The organic market is now a huge business industry, that continues to grow especially from large corporations are now offering organic choices to their customers. Other companies leading the organic revolution include food companies such making the switch to offer more organic option for customers.

         Products that are made with organic ingredients are made without the use of harsh chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers. The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) approved pesticides to be used long before research was done that now has linked these chemicals to cancer, and other diseases. Many manufacturers are misleading when it comes to labels on the back of organic cosmetics. For example, manufacturers may use the word "organic" its scientific meaning of “containing carbon.”

         The Organic Consumers Association suggests that all the cleaning and conditioning ingredients be made from organic materials, the manufacturing process should be simple and ecological, and non-agricultural water like floral water or botanical water should not be used. Organic farming methods have proven to be more effective than many conventional farmers realized, but they are still placed at a relative disadvantage by their lack of synthetic nitrogen. Thus they rely on price premiums, but these price premiums often allow them to reap higher profits than conventional farms. Criticisms of the Organic Movement

         Moreover, there is no scientific evidence whatsoever that proves organic food to be healthier. Dan Glickman, President Clinton’s administrative secretary stated that the organic label is a marketing tool. The logistical problems with organic farming will be further aggravated in the future. The manure used in organic farming will not be sufficient to grow the amount of food we will need for the entire world.

       "Several of the management practices evolved by the organic farming movement have a direct relevance to the battle of achieving food security with the help of such organizations which are gaining worldwide recognition. These organizations are going to progress to such an extent that they are going to hold a strong ground in the near future.”