India's Organic Exports Surge 35% to $666 Million in FY25

India’s organic product exports witnessed a significant rise of 35% in the 2024–25 fiscal, reaching $665.96 million (approximately ₹5,710 crore), up from $494.80 million in the previous year, the government announced on Tuesday. The surge was primarily driven by increased shipments of cereals, tea, spices, medicinal plants, oilseeds, and processed foods. In terms of volume, exports grew by 41%, rising to 0.37 million tonnes from 0.26 million tonnes.

While the government attributed the upward trend to growing global demand for Indian organic products, experts cautioned that significant efforts are still needed to rebuild the 'Organic India' brand, especially in light of concerns over the credibility of certifying agencies.

In FY25, exports of organic cereals (including rice) and millets rose to $161.67 million from $86.66 million in FY24. Organic processed food exports increased to $154.01 million from $129.61 million, while medicinal plant products grew to $88.57 million from $72.42 million. Exports of organic tea climbed to $45.13 million from $34.11 million, organic spices to $45.42 million from $35.93 million, and organic oilseeds to $36.20 million from $25.64 million.

Potential for Further Growth in Organic Exports

While launching the eighth edition of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) in January 2025- with new regulations aimed at improving clarity, transparency, and alignment with global standards, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stated that India has the potential to boost organic product exports to ₹20,000 crore within the next three years, as more farmers adopt organic farming practices.

The revised standards were introduced at a time when Indian organic products continue to face additional testing in several importing countries, and the United States has yet to reinstate its recognition of the NPOP.
Goyal stated that the Ministries of Cooperation, Agriculture, and Commerce are collaboratively working to promote organic farming by supporting farmers and farmer producer organisations (FPOs) through skill development, training, export facilitation, marketing, and improved packaging.

“The global demand for organic products currently stands at around ₹1 lakh crore, and with increased promotion and production, it could rise to ₹10 lakh crore,” Goyal had said. “India has the highest number of organic farmers in the world and ranks second in terms of area under organic cultivation. With some additional efforts, I am confident that we can emerge as the global leader in organic farming, significantly boosting farmers’ incomes and promoting Indian organic produce in international markets.”

Websites Undergo Revamp

The government has launched a revamped portal for the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), aimed at improving visibility and streamlining operations for organic stakeholders. Additionally, APEDA has upgraded its TraceNet platform to TraceNet 2.0, integrating it with the NPOP to enable smoother operations and stronger regulatory oversight.

An expert suggested, “In the ongoing bilateral trade discussions with the US, the government should push for the re-recognition of NPOP, allowing Indian organic products to be shipped there more easily. Currently, only US government-accredited agencies are authorized to certify organic products. If another agency certifies a product, exporters must incur additional costs to obtain certification from a US-accredited body.”