organics

India's northeastern states have been indentified as having the potential to become a hub for organic horticulture production, according to an independent research paper.

The paper, entitled Agricultural Development in North-East India: Challenges and Opportunities, said there was big potential for organic production in the region, which boasts dependable rainfall, rich natural resources and low pesticide usage.

"With proper post-harvest technology, the region has all the potential to become a producer of tea, coffee, aromatic rice, medicinal plants and horticulture products," principal scientist at the National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (NCAP), BC Barah, said in the paper.

"Low use of chemical inputs in the northeastern regions should be converted into an opportunity by promoting organic products for which demand is fast rising in domestic as well as international markets," Mr Barah told the Financial Express.