Quality Food Production by Integration of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in Organic Agriculture

India’s basic strength lies in agriculture but its vast potential has not been fully exploited. Themarket potential can appreciate by reforming agriculture and making its produce internationally competitive in terms of quality and safety of food.Producing internationally competitive, quality farm produce per se requires competitive innovative farming practices and comprehending the concept of globally accepted Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) within the framework of commercial agricultural production for long term improvement and sustainability is important. Implementation of GAPs would promote optimum utilization of resources such as pesticides, fertilizers, water and eco-friendly agriculture. It also takes care in integrating pre and post-harvest handling and other logistics. Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) is important in the areas where appropriated control measures need to be strengthened and farms producing raw materials to ensure sustained supply of produce of their desirable quality. Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) based farming, Integrated Nutrient Management and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) with more emphasis on biological methods of control, soil test based nutrient application, increasing nutrient use efficiency, adoption of precision farming technologies and use of pest and disease resistant varieties, etc. seems to be a viable solution. It has the potential to address the concerns of different stakeholders (governments, food retailing industries, farmers and consumers) about food production and security, food safety and quality and the environmental sustainability of agriculture.