Understanding the national framework governing organic production and certification in India.
India's primary quality assurance framework for organic agriculture — ensuring certified produce meets national and international standards since 2001.
India had long been traditionally organic, with a large pool of traditional wisdom on best practices in organic agriculture. However, modern standards-based organic agriculture began only recently with growing demand for organic food and fiber in western markets.
The National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), launched in 2001, laid the foundation for systematic development of the organic agriculture sector in India. It was the first quality assurance initiative by the Government of India under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry — providing an institutional framework for accreditation of certification agencies.
In 2004, NPOP was brought under the Foreign Trade Development and Regulation (FTDR) Act, mandating certification for all organic exports. NPOP has since earned recognition agreements with the European Union, Switzerland, and USDA-NOP, and is managed by APEDA under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.