BANGALORE: As part of a long-term strategy to improve the market for organic produce, the Government, along with other agencies, will conduct an international organic trade fair, "India Organic-2005", from November 4 to 7 at Lalbagh here.

Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar will inaugurate the event. Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh, Agriculture Minister K Srinivas Gowda, and representatives of international organisations will participate in the fair, which is to be held for the first time in the country.

The main aim of the event is to create a common platform for buyers and sellers of organic produce. It will provide an opportunity to participants to strike deals, officials of the Directorate of Agriculture say.

Seminars will be held for three days as part of the event. They will highlight organic agriculture scenario in the country and deliberate on ways of improving the positioning of the sector. President of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) Gerald A. Hermann will speak on "Challenges before India to make space for itself in the world of organic agriculture and trade."

A workshop on organic cotton will be organised for farmers from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

The International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA), a Bangalore-based non-governmental organisation; the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority of the Union Ministry of Agriculture; the Government of Switzerland; the Indian Organic Market Development Project ; and the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements are sponsoring the fair.

The event is likely to be attended by over 500 traders, 30 of them from other countries. A large number of producers, processors, input manufacturers, exporters, and importers, Union and State government organisations, certifying agencies and consumer organisations will participate. It will serve as a platform for the developed world, which is looking to India as a major source for organic products, officials say. India has 200 million potential customers for organic products and a market of Rs. 200 crores. The world market for organic food ingredients is $35 billion, and it is growing at more than eight per cent a year. Manoj Kumar Menon, event coordinator and manager (market development) of ICCOA, says cultural programmes will be organised on the sidelines of the event.

Details are available from the Deputy Director, Organic Farming Cell, Directorate of Agriculture, Seshadri Road, Bangalore (phone: 080-22105350) and ICCOA, 951 C, 15th Cross, 8th Main, Ideal Homes Township, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bangalore (phone: 080-28601183).

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