Sikkim Organic Mission impresses at BioFach India

GANGTOK, 18 Nov [IPR]: Sikkim has been actively participating in the annual International Organic Trade Fair BioFach India for the last three years and in BioFach Germany for the last two years. The Biofach India 2011 was held at the Palace Grounds, Bangalore from November 10-12, and was participated by the Sikkim Organic Mission, Government of Sikkim, in a grand manner as a Gold Partner.
A strong Sikkimese contingent of over 150 participants led by PL Subba, GC Rai, Chairman SIMFED, Chairman Sikkim Farmers Welfare Board, BM Ramudamu, Advisor to the Govt. of Sikkim, Deepak Gurung, General Secretary and DN Sapkota, Convenor, Kisan Prakostha, Vishal Chauhan, Secretary, FS&AD and H&CCD Department participated in the Organic Trade Fair.
The Sikkimese contingent comprised of FS&AD and H&CCD Departmental Officials, Field Functionaries, representatives of Service Providers and Farmers. The State Cooperative Marketing Supply and Federation (SIMFED), an ICS Service provider, and TEMI Tea Estate were also invited to participate in the exhibition with the objective to provide exposure in the international and national Organic market.
The participating farmers were sponsored by ATMA, SOM and National Horticulture Board, who had arranged for a train bogey and DA to farmers during the visit. The last team of participants from Sikkim reached back to Gangtok on November 17, 2011.
BioFach India 2011 consisted of exhibition of organic products seminar and buyer-seller meets. The Sikkim pavilion of Sikkim Organic Mission (SOM) was accorded the second best exhibition stall from amongst about 150 national and international pavilions.
Kiran Pradhan, Addl. Executive Director, SOM received the award on behalf of the Government of Sikkim during the valedictory function. Exotic organic products, potential cash crops, Himalayan cereals and pulses, vegetables and spice crops, organic certified TEMI Tea, canned products from Sikkim Supreme, etc.
Some of the exotic products on display were heracleum (chingphing), bokey timbur, chirata, etc. on which a lot of enquiries were generated by the visitors in the Sikkim stall. From the business and export point of view, ginger, large cardamom, turmeric, buckwheat, millet, soyabean, cherry pepper, mandarin oranges, canned baby corn, ginger oil generated a lot of interest from prospective national / international organic traders. Most of these organic fresh products were sourced from the various ICS Service Providers from their respective ICS sites and SIMFED made the logistic arrangements for their transportation. The pavilion having decorated with a majestic view of Khanchendzonga and Gurudongmar as the background helped in generating substantial enquiries from prospective tourists.
SOM had kept a special gift packages and souvenirs for VIPs and prospective big organic buyers as a gift which helped a lot in generating a good camaraderie with the delegates and Organic Players of repute.
A presentation titled “Sikkim Going Organic - Policy, Present Scenario and Future Thrusts”, was also given in the International seminar by the FS&AD Secretary who highlighted the vision of Chief Minister Pawan Chamling to convert all of Sikkim into fully organic. The policy of the Government of Sikkim towards Organic Farming was applauded by all the participants during the presentation.
Incidentally, Sikkim and Karnataka are the two major states in India to give topmost priority to Organic Farming and in 2003 Sikkim was the first state to declare itself fully organic by the year 2015.
The delegates from Sikkim also visited Himalaya Drug Company, Tumkur Road, Makali Bangalore, and Indian Institute of Horticulture Research, Hessarghatta, Bangalore, to explore the latest technology on Horticulture.
The participating farmers also visited the University of Agricultural Sciences, Hebbal, Bangalore to get an exposure on the latest technological developments in the field of agriculture and horticulture. Discussions was also held with Dr. PVSM Gouri, Advisor, APEDA for training for educated unemployed youth on marketing and export of organic products.