NCOL Strives to Provide Market for Farmers' Organic Products, Creating Big Opportunities

The National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) is working with a dual objective: to promote organic farming among Indian farmers and to ensure a market for their organic produce. Established in 2023 as one of the three new national-level cooperative bodies, NCOL has already brought together around 7,000 cooperative societies, representing over 10 million farmers.

NCOL offers farmers premium prices for their organic produce and aims to create a robust market by providing consumers with certified organic products at reasonable rates. The organization envisions a system where authentic organic products are sold at just 10–15% more than conventional food products, making them accessible while opening up new avenues for organic farmers. 

Speaking to Rural Voice, NCOL’s Managing Director, Vipul Mittal shared details of the initiative. He emphasized that to ensure product quality, every NCOL item carries a QR code. By scanning it, consumers can access the batch’s pesticide residue test report. After scanning the QR code and entering the batch number and other details, users can view the complete report. This step aims to build trust in the authenticity and quality of NCOL products.

Currently, under the ‘Bharat Organic’ brand, NCOL has launched products in four categories: 15 varieties of pulses, flour, three varieties of rice, six spices including cumin, coriander, turmeric, and carom seeds (ajwain), and sweeteners like jaggery, sugar, brown sugar, and khandsari.

NCOL has set up a packaging facility in Noida and is establishing processing units for rice and wheat in Punjab and Haryana.

NCOL is promoted by NDDB, NCCF, NCDC, and GCMMF (Amul), with NDDB as the principal promoter. The organization is also leveraging Mother Dairy’s marketing network and distributing through general retail chains, e-commerce platforms, and quick commerce services.

Mittal mentioned that procurement is strictly from farmers who possess valid organic certification. All products are tested for chemical residues at NDDB’s laboratory, and only those meeting quality standards are selected. NCOL has signed MoUs with 15 states to act as the nodal agency for organic food products.

Vipul Mittal emphasized that affordable pricing is essential to promote organic products in India. For this, it is critical to provide a reliable market to farmers so they can increase organic production. As demand and production grow, organic items can be made available to consumers at economical rates. Promoting organic farming will also improve soil health. With this vision, NCOL is committed to encouraging organic farming and ensuring market access for farmers’ produce.