Supply chain not efficient, godowns needed

Hyderabad: The production and the supply chain of organic products are a cause for concern in the state.

Most of the organic produce is grown in Warangal, Medak, Nalgonda and Khammam districts. The entire village of Enebavi in Warangal grows organic food, but the state has not set up an effective supply chain.

Also, there is no government body that keeps a check on the organic products being sold. While the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation looks after the licence issues, Legal Metrology department checks the weights. A few certified agencies by the government look only into the process of production, and not the end product. There is no authority that checks the quality of the products.

Dr G.V. Ramanjaneyulu (agricultural scientist), and the executive director of the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, said, “There are many villages in TS and AP that have shifted to organic farming. But they lack support. When farmers buy chemical fertilisers, they get a subsidy. There is no subsidy for organic farming. Similarly, most research work is done for chemical agriculture; none of the support systems are extended to organic farming. Right from infrastructure (warehouses) to investment, organic farmers need every help.”

“Organic products cannot be stored in regular warehouses. There are no mandis for organic produce. If the supply chain is bettered, only then the production can be increased. Even quality bio-mask is needed as most of the urban compost comprises of heavy metals. The government should come up with better compost process at village level,” the scientist adds.

Organic products are those which have been cultivated by natural methods without any chemical catalyst. The crop has to suit the local soil and production is done using local available resources.