IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements) has defined the objectives of organic farming as to:
.produce food and beverages of high nutritional quality in sufficient quantity;

.work with natural systems rather than seeking to dominate them;

.encourage and enhance biological cycles within the farming system, involving micro-organisms; soil flora and fauna, plants and animals;

.maintain and increase the long term fertility of soils;

.use as far as possible renewable on-farm resources in locally organized agricultural systems;

.avoid all form of pollution that may result from agricultural techniques;

.maintain the genetic diversity of the agricultural system and its surroundings; including the protection of plant and wildlife habitats;

.work as much as possible within a closed system with regard to organic matter and nutrient element;

.preserve and enhance traditional and indigenous knowledge;

.allow agricultural producers an adequate return and satisfaction from their work including a safe working environment;

.consider the wider social and ecological impact of the farming system.

Attitude towards conversion to organic tea growing:

.Some tea planters believe organic tea growing is not a fad anymore but the best approach for increasing productivity and sustainability.

.Tea planters who are considering a conversion to organic cultivation at alater date have a fear on potential decrease in yield. Despite this, the increased labour requirement is found as a barrier to adoption. In organic cultivation several factors can lead to increased labour
requirements:
weed control must be performed manually. The thermal weed control is not practiced in the tea estates of India. Further, the production patterns tend to be more diversified.

.Organic manures contain less amount of potassium. Some manure may berich in nitrogen (N) but low in potassium (K). For example, some of the oil cakes contain 7.3% N whereas K content is only 1.3%. This necessitates application of large quantities of organic manures to the organic tea plantations caused practical problems to the planters. Further, organic manures are quite expensive especially when it involves transportation from production site to the plantation site.

.Profitability of organic cultivation is influenced considerably by the ability to secure price premiums. The lack of adequate marketing channels can prevent an organic tea producer from securing the premium for some or all of his produce. Planters are also unsure whether the premium will remain at least at the current level. Tea planters are also afraid that increasing the supply level might lead to a collapse in price premiums. But this fear could be decreased by heightening consumer awareness of the merits of organic products and production methods.

Why to undergo organic certification

The advantages according to the certification agency are that it acts as a trust building system between farmers and customers, helps in authentication of the product, enables transparency and strengthens the position of the primary producer and helps in market promotion of product. The certification includes inspection at all stages of production and marketing.

Organizations promoting organic concept

.International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)
.The Soil Association Cetification Ltd (SAC) in UK
.The United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards (UKROFS)
.The California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) in USA
.ECOCERT International, Germany
.SKAL, Zwolle, The Netherlands
.Institute for Marketecology (IMO), Switzerland etc.