Over 22,000 ryots certified for cultivating organic produce in Andhra Pradesh
The move has enabled the production of over 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of certified organic and good agricultural produce, unlocking access to premium domestic and international markets.
This achievement underscores APSOPCA's growing impact since its establishment in 2022. The APSOPCA is actively transforming the State's agriculture sector through three major certification programmes that support eco-friendly farming and higher farmer incomes, Dr. Yadlapalli Satish, Director, APSOPCA told The Hindu.
Dr. Satish explained that under the IndG.A.P. (India Good Agricultural Practices) scheme, benchmarked with international GLOBALG.A.P standards and accredited by the Quality Council of India, the APSOPCA certified 3,495 farmers cultivating 2,621 hectares, generating 9,219 metric tonnes of produce in 2024–25.
These products are eligible for export to over 130 countries. Through the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), recognised by the EU, Great Britain, Switzerland, and more than 50 countries, APSOPCA certified 18,953 farmers on 28,282 hectares producing 1,42,248 metric tonnes of organic output across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
PGS-India scheme
Under the PGS-India (Participatory Guarantee) scheme, a participatory model backed by the National Centre for Organic and Natural Farming, 335 farmers from 55 local groups were certified across 138 hectares, empowering village-level certification processes.
The Director observed that, beyond certification, the APSOPCA has developed Traceability 2.0, a web and mobile app-based system that ensures end-to-end transparency from farm to consumer, helping build trust and enhance marketability. Certified organic products command a 20% to 30% higher market price, creating better economic outcomes for farmers.
Dr. Satish said that the APSOPCA facilitates seamless collaboration among stakeholders including farmer groups, traders, exporters, and government agencies.
'With a mission to revolutionise agriculture, APSOPCA is not only strengthening food safety and sustainability but also emerging as a national model for organic certification and market integration,' he observed.
For more information, interested persons can visit www.apsopca.org or contact apsopcadir@gmail.com or 8074707792.
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