New Delhi : The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, organised the Sikkim Organic Conclave-cum-International Buyer Seller Meet (IBSM) in Gangtok in collaboration with the Government of Sikkim and in association with IFOAM Organics Asia.
During the conclave, a knowledge report titled “Study on Supply Chain & Export Readiness for Organic Farm Products in Sikkim” was released. Prepared by NICDC Logistics Data Services Ltd., the report outlines a roadmap to strengthen Sikkim’s organic export ecosystem through improved infrastructure, streamlined processes, enhanced aggregation, transparent price discovery and better market positioning. It also highlights measures to boost export competitiveness while ensuring sustainability, traceability and farmer-centric growth.
The event witnessed strong international participation, with around 40 buyers from 17 countries including South Korea, the UAE, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Singapore, Norway, Kuwait and the United Kingdom. About 20 Indian exporters took part in structured buyer–seller meetings with nearly 100 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs/FPCs) from Sikkim. The interaction was coordinated by the Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, Government of Sikkim, and the Sikkim Organic Farming Development Agency.
The inaugural session was attended by Agriculture Minister of Sikkim Puran Kumar Gurung, APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev, Commissioner & Secretary (Agriculture and Horticulture) Jigmee Dorjee Bhutia, and Executive Director of IFOAM Organics Asia Jennifer H. Chang, along with other officials and stakeholders.
An exhibition featuring around 12 exhibitors showcased Sikkim’s certified organic products such as Large Cardamom, GI-tagged Dalle Khursani, Sikkim Mandarin, Buckwheat, Turmeric and Orchids, highlighting the state’s diverse and export-ready produce.
Sikkim became India’s first fully organic state in 2016, enabling its produce to gain recognition under APEDA’s export certification system. The state was also awarded the Food and Agriculture Organization Future Policy Gold Award in 2018 for its leadership in organic agriculture.
A technical session was also organised to familiarise stakeholders with the 8th Edition of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), focusing on updated regulations, labelling requirements, compliance standards and traceability norms to strengthen India’s credibility in global organic trade.
As part of the second phase of the event, international buyers and exporters will undertake field visits to organic production clusters in Sikkim to observe certified farming practices, post-harvest management and value-addition processes. These interactions are expected to strengthen farm-to-market linkages and enhance buyer confidence in Sikkim’s export readiness.
Through initiatives such as the Organic Conclave-cum-IBSM, APEDA aims to promote organic exports, expand market access, build capacity among FPOs and exporters, and position Sikkim as a key contributor to India’s growing organic export sector.