Marketing of Organic Food Products and Consumer Perception with Special Reference to Udaipur City

In India, most of the organic produce is grown to be exported to the $25–30 billion global markets. Only if India converts 5% of its farmland (i.e. approx. 7 mha) into organic, it can make significant contribution towards fulfilling the key objective. By the end of 2005, India had 2.5 mha of organic land, in which about 1, 40,000 ha was farmland (It is to clarify the status of organic farming in the country and of courese about the importance of hygienenic farm products in the form of organic products. In: (Bhattacharya P, Kumar D. 2005), eds. Bhattacharya and pradeep kumar, et al, National Policy on Promoting Organic Farming. pp. 58–63, (NCOF-National Centre for Organic Farming 2005) (To continue efforts between 2005 and 2010, India has targeted conversion of 2% of its farmland into organic. By that rate, around 2010, India had converted about 3 million hectares of farmland into organic. During the second phase from 2010 to 2015, India should aim to bring another 4 million hectares under organic, thus raising the overall total to 7 million hectares of organic farmland by 2015. It is a big target, but certainly achievable, if the will to do so is there.

At present, India has two kinds of strong undercurrents of organic food marketing; one, from limited to rapidly increasing certified organic food marketing channels, mainly distributed for a premium price in the domestic or export market, and the other is the large number of those non-certified organic food products (OFPs) which is produced that is produced for their own households accessing local markets only, if there is surplus. In India, the Government is promoting organic food marketing which can be a profitable strategy to raise the income level of small and medium farmers. Some of the states such as Sikkim have already declared themselves as completely organic. There are many areas where the production is by default organic. Uttaranchal is one such state, where in hilly areas; negligible amount of chemical is used. The farmers are also turning to organic production because of the high premium commanded by organic products. Some of the organic manufacturer associations have also emerged in the country. The only option left for organic food industry is to target elite domestic customers and large export markets.

Consumers worldwide are becoming health conscious and are concerned about nutrition and the quality of food consumed. They are concerned are also with food-safety issues, taking it into consideration. Have investigated that consumers are getting health conscious and are paying more attention to the quality of food consumed. Therefore, the selected food must deliver an added value that are sought after by consumers besides basic hedonistic and functional needs such as nutrition, taste, health, favourable price–quality ratio and so on. This added value may be perceived in the form of ecological, social and individual benefit.

The study looks into the organic food marketing and consumers’ perceptions towards OFPs. A study on consumer perception towards OFPs may add insight into the nascent to the emerging organic food industry in India. The review of related literature in the area of OFPs and consumer perception studies has provided many insights for the study. A number of researchers have identified various factors that influence consumer perception of OFPs, mainly in the developed countries. Some studies have also been undertaken in the Asian countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. Very few researchers have attempted to focus in detail the various factors that influence consumer perception towards organic food. By reviewing several studies and identifying the gap, the investigator felt an imperative need to undertake the present investigation.