Organic Products launched

Health is synonymous to Organic. Today world is more concern for the human health and propagating the organic products. In India Sikkim is the first state which is fully organic and last year, it has come out full-fledged Organic State of India. Now the produce as products are ready for the consumers. Sikkim State Co-operative Supply and Marketing Federation Ltd.,(SIMFED), has launched the Organic Rice & Millet, Organic Flour and Organic Dal & Pulses through 23 retailers Shops in Delhi and NCR. The SIMFED QSeal is the blend of Trust & Taste as claimed by the SIMFED.

These organic products were launched on the eve of the Organic World Congress and the Expo.

Sikkim Agriculture Minister Somnath Poudyal and senior officials SIMFED and state horticulture department were also present at the event.

Sikkim, a fully organic state, should mentor other states in marketing of organic produce, Agriculture Secretary S K Pattanayak said in a function organized by the SIMFED.

With increasing urbanization, the Sikkim State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation (SIMFED) should make cities a hub for marketing of organic products, he added.

"I am aware of the difficulties of marketing of organic products. But there are great opportunities," Pattanayak said at the launch of the state organic products marketed by SIMFED.

He said marketing of organic products was difficult 20 years back. But now with growing urbanization, cities can be a hub for marketing of these products.

"Sikkim is marketing state-grown organic cardamom, turmeric, ginger and bulk wheat only. They should also mentor other states in marketing of organic produce," the secretary suggested.

He lauded the state's efforts to sell its organic products in the national capital region.

Stating that Sikkim has shown the way for the rest of the country in organic farming, Pattanayak said that now it has become a people's movement. So much so that fertilizer cooperative IFFCO is partnering to market the organic produce.

He also said that the central government is running two schemes including the Mission on Organic Value Chain Development to promote organic farming.

SIMFED Managing Director Roger R Rai said the cooperative is working with about 5,000 farmers in the state, which has 3,013 hectares under organic farming.

The launch of 35 certified organic food products including unpolished rice and pulses will help farmers.

SIMFED is marketing vast range of organic products in collaboration with QsealAgritech Pvt LTD. Its products are sold in 23 retail shops in the Delhi-NCR areas at present.