Organic Farming in Vegetable Crops: Challenges and Opportunities

In recent times, organic farming has assumed greater significance and become a buzzword, gaining momentum and instant acceptance by producers and consumers simultaneously. Rising health complications due to the overuse of different agricultural chemicals and their consequent presence as residues above maximum permitted residue levels in food (MRLs) has bolstered the demand for a renewed emphasis on organic farming, particularly in vegetables due to the very short possible withholding period before their consumption after harvest. Vegetables are highly perishable in nature and indispensable in regular consumption. Even as the practice of organic farming is indeed very attractive in terms of nutritional and edible quality of vegetables, prevention of diseases in humans, maintenance of soil biology in diversity, population, activity levels, and preservation of soil health, it still raises queries as to whether the crops can be managed in the field without using any inorganic fertilizers or pesticides in a sustainable way over a longer period of time without affecting yields. As the challenge remains to feed the burgeoning population, it is important to ponder upon the current status, challenges, modalities, certification and prospects presented by organic cultivation of vegetable crops.