PGS-India Revamp: Regional Councils Limited to One State
Why in the news
The agriculture ministry tightened the way organic and natural farming are certified under PGS-India. Regional Councils can now serve only one state, with the aim of better quality control and accountability.
Key facts
- Each Regional Council (RC) is limited to one state for every certification scope.
- An RC cannot switch its allotted state after allocation.
- Multi-state RCs get a transition window until 30 April 2027 to shift local groups to state-based RCs.
- During transition they may serve existing groups outside their state but cannot register new ones.
- Transition rests on MoUs signed before 31 March 2026; later agreements will not be extended.
- Stakeholders fear that state-run bodies may be left out of accreditation.
About PGS-India
- Launched 7 April 2011 under the agriculture ministry; a decentralised, peer-review, trust-based organic certification.
- Built for small and marginal farmers as a cheaper option than third-party certification.
- Around 563 Regional Councils (before the revamp); about 12.88 lakh hectares certified as PGS-Organic.
- Certificates: PGS-Green (in-conversion, labelled “Under Conversion to Organic”) and PGS-Organic (after conversion).
| Registration mode | Key point |
|---|---|
| Local Group | Minimum 5 farmers; main route |
| Individual Producer | Interim for 1-2 years; must join a group by year 2 |
| Large Area Certification (2020) | Whole villages or districts that are traditionally organic; no transition period; certificate in 6 months |
LAC needs an oath by farmers, a Gram Sabha resolution, a Department of Agriculture certificate that no agrochemical shops operate in the village, and a verification team of NCONF, the state agriculture department and the PGS RC.
| Point | PGS-India | NPOP |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Peer review | Third-party certification |
| Market | Domestic | Export |
| Ministry | Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare | Commerce and Industry (APEDA) |
| Cost | Low | Higher |
- NPOP began in 2001 and follows National Standards for Organic Production; both systems carry the Jaivik Bharat logo.
- PGS farmers can move to NPOP without a conversion period.
NCONF and related schemes
- NCONF (formerly NCOF, set up 2004, renamed 2024) is based in Ghaziabad; it is the nodal agency and PGS secretariat and data custodian; six regional centres.
- PKVY (2015): aid for PGS certification, ₹50,000/ha over 3 years.
- MOVCDNER (2015): North East focus.
- NMNF (approved November 2024): outlay ₹2,481 crore (₹1,584 crore Centre, ₹897 crore States).
- BPKP (2020): natural-farming sub-mission under PKVY.
Organic versus natural farming
- Organic: certified organic inputs such as compost and bio-fertilisers; no synthetic chemicals or GMOs.
- Natural (for example ZBNF): only on-farm inputs like cow dung, cow urine and jaggery; focus on soil microbiome; popularised by Subhash Palekar.
- Andhra Pradesh’s APCNF is called the world’s largest natural farming programme (about 10 lakh farmers).
Exam angle
- Nodal body for PGS secretariat: NCONF, Ghaziabad.
- Export organic certification: NPOP under APEDA.
- Group size for PGS local group: at least 5 farmers.
- Deadline to remember: 30 April 2027.