Bangalore, Nov 7 (UNI) Planning Commission Sub-Committee on Organic Farming head Dr Tej Pratap today said about Rs 12,000 crore investment by private and public sectors was expected to flow into organic farming during the eleventh five-year plan period, beginning next year.

Talking to newspersons ahead of the four-day 'India Organic 2006', a premier trade show in organic farming business, to be held here from November 9, he said the Sub-Committee had recommended a Central policy on Organic Farming and sought a fund allocation of Rs 2,500 crore for encouraging organic farming and providing marketing facility during the next plan period. ''We are sure that with organic produce gaining popularity in the country and abroad, investment into the sector will be more than Rs 12,000 crore during the plan period,'' he added.

Dr Pratap said three lakh Indian farmers have adopted organic farming, covering over 3,73,000 hectares of land. Organic products worth Rs 128 crore have been exported mainly to European countries.

According to a survey, the domestic market was worth Rs 2,300 crore and there was a huge gap between demand and supply in the domestic market.

National Commission on Organic Farming Director Mukesh Gupta, who was Advisor to the Sub-Committee, said in the tenth plan, the allocation was only Rs 75 crore as it was introduced after two years of commencement of the plan period.

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