Now, the consumers are preferring to consume natural/ethnic foods, particularly organic foods across the world. Moreover, they are ready to pay a premium price for such foods. The demand for organic agricultural products is increasing day by day.

i) Conversion: When a farmer switches over to the system of organic farming from the conventional system of farming, it is known as conversion. The time between the start of organic management and certification is called conversion period. The farmers should have a conversion plan prepared if the entire field is not converted into organic at a time. In that case it is necessary to maintain organic and non-organic fields separately. In the long run the entire form including livestock should be converted into organic. The conversion period is decided based on the past use of the land and ecological situation. Generally, the conversion period is two years for annual crops and three years for perennial crops. However, the conversion period can be relaxed based on the verification by certification agency if the requirements are fully met.

During conversion, steps should be taken to maintain bio-diversity, viz. swamps, gross lands, forests, etc.

ii) Mixed farming: Animal husbandry, poultry, fisheries, etc. should be practised in addition to agricultural farming. Shifting cultivation is not allowed.

iii) Cropping Pattern: Crop rotation should be followed if annual crops are grown. Intercropping should be practised when perennial crops are grown. Crop rotation should cover green manure as well as fodder crops. In case of perennial crops, cover crops like Kolinji (Tephrosia purpurea) should be grown to protect the soil. Monocropping should be avoided.

iv) Planting: Species and varieties cultivated should be adapted to soil and climatic condition and resistant to pests and diseases. Seeds/Planting materials should be procured from organic source. If not available, chemically untreated. Seeds/planting materials can be used one time. Use of genetically engineered seeds or planting materials such as tissue culture, pollen culture, transgenic plants is not allowed.

v) Manurial Policy Soil fertility should be maintained/enhanced through raising green manure crops, leguminous crops etc. The residues of plants after harvest should be incorporated into the soil as far as possible. Bio-degradable materials of microbial, plant or animal origin shall be applied as manures. (eq. compost, vermicompost, farm yard manure, sheep penning etc.) Use of synthetic/chemical fertilisers is not permitted. The mineral based materials like rock phosphate, gypsum, lime, etc. can be applied in limited quantities when there is absolute necessity.

Slash weeding is to be done between the plants. Weeds under the base of the plants shall be cleaned and put as mulch around the plant base. The weeded materials should be applied as mulch in the ground itself.

viii) Contamination control: It is necessary to take the following measures to minimise the contamination from outside and within farm.
a) If neighbouring fields are non-organic, a buffer zone should be maintained. The height of buffer crop shall be twice the height of organic crop and the width of the buffer shall be 25-50 feet. (When chilli is grown as the main organic crop, castor or Agathi (Sesbania) can be grown as buffer crop. The crops from the buffer zone should be sold as non-organic).
b) If the farm is under conversion, equipments used for conventional areas shall be well cleaned before using for organic areas.
c) Products based on polythene, polypropylene and other polycarbonates are allowed to cover protected structure, insect netting, nursery, drying, etc. subject to the condition that these materials shall be removed from the field after use and they shall not be burnt or put in the soil. Use of polychloride based products like PVC pipe is prohibited.

ix) Processing: Processing technologies like solar drying, freeze drying, hot air chambers are permitted. Irradiation of agricultural produce is not permitted. No synthetic additives/days are to be added during processing.

x) Labelling: The label should convey clear accurate information on the organic status of the product. (i.e. conversion in progress or organic). The labels for organic and conversion in progress products should be distinguishable by different coloured labels. The details like name of the product, quantity of the product, name and address of the producer, name of certification agency, certification, lot number etc. are to be given in the label.

Lot number is helpful in tracing back the product particularly the field no. in which it is grown in case of contamination. Lot no. should include the crop, country, field no, date of harvest (in Julian Calendar) and production year. The Julian Calendar is ranging from 1 to 365 or 366, starting 1st January, as I and December 31st as 365/366.

xii) Social Justice: Social right and justice are integral part of organic agriculture. The laws relating to labour welfare and rights of children should be honoured. All employees and their families should have access to potable water, food, housing, education, transportation and health services. All employees should have equal wages when doing same job. They must have equal opportunities irrespective of colour, creed and gender. Social security needs (include maternity, sickness and retirement benefits) should be met. Labour conditions regarding noise, dust, light and exposure to chemicals should be within acceptable limits; and they should have adequate protection. The rights of indigenous people should be respected.

xiii) Documentation: Documentation of farm activities is must for acquiring certification especially when both conventional and organic crops are raised. The following documents/records are to be maintained.

The producer makes contact with certifying agency. Certification agency provides information on standards, fees, application, inspection, certification and appeal procedures. The producer then submits application along with field history, form map, record keeping system etc. Then the contract indicating scope, obligation, inspection and certification, sanction and appeals, duration, fee structure is executed.

Then the Inspector of agency comes and carries out inspection. The Inspector gives inspection report with his recommendation to the agency, Then the agency issues approval or denial of certificate. Certificate is given for current year's harvest only and hence annual certification is required.

At the time of planting, apply 25g powdered neem cake and mix well with the soil in each pit taken at a spacing of 20-25 cm within and between rows. Seed rhizomes may be put in shallow pits and mixed with well rotten cattle manure or compost mixed with Trichoderma, an antagonistic (Parasitic) fungi (10g compost inoculated with Trichoderma). The best time for planting in West Coast is during the first fortnight of May with the receipt of monsoon showers. Under irrigated conditions, it can be planted well in advance during the middle of February or early March.

Restricted use of Bordeaux mixture (1%) in disease prone areas may be made to control it as spot application.

For making vegetable ginger, harvesting is done from the 6th month onwards. The rhizomes are thoroughly washed in water twice or thrice after harvest and sun-dried for a day.

For preparing dry ginger the produce is kept soaked in water overnight. Rhizomes are then rubbed well to clean them. After cleaning, rhizomes are removed from the water and the outer skin is removed with a bamboo splinter or wooden knife having pointed ends. Iron knife is not recommended, as colour will fade. In order to get rid of the last bit of the skin or dirt, the dry rhizomes are rubbed together. The peeled rhizomes are washed and dried in the sun uniformly for one week. Rhizomes are to be dried to a moisture level of 11% and they are stored properly to avoid infestation by storage pests. Storage of dry ginger for longer periods is not desirable. The yield of dry ginger is 16-25 percent of the fresh ginger depending upon the variety and location where the crop is grown.

Burning of sulphur for processing ginger is not allowed.