Production Incentive Scheme (PIS), Sikkim
An incentive to growers of five signature crops — buckwheat, turmeric, ginger, large cardamom and orange — who sell through registered FPOs or SIMFED.
Run by: Horticulture & Cash Crops Development Department / Food Security & Agriculture Development Department, Government of Sikkim
- Launched
- 25 December 2020
- Crops covered
- Buckwheat, turmeric, ginger, large cardamom, orange
- Condition
- Sell via FPO / SIMFED
- Context
- India's first fully organic state (2016)
Quick Summary
The key points from this page in about two minutes — read it or have it read aloud.
Quick Summary
Sikkim became India's first fully organic state in 2016, but going organic solved only half the problem: a farmer can grow a clean crop and still earn little if there is no reliable, premium-paying buyer. The Production Incentive Scheme is the state's answer — it pays growers of a handful of signature Sikkim crops an extra incentive, but only when they sell through a registered channel, so the produce is aggregated, graded and traceable instead of being sold cheap and loose.
The scheme covers five crops the state wants to push: buckwheat, turmeric, ginger, large cardamom and orange. The condition is the important part — the incentive is for growers who sell through registered institutions such as Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and SIMFED, the state cooperative marketing federation. That design does two things at once: it rewards production, and it pulls farmers into organised marketing that can actually command the organic premium in outside markets.
Because the incentive is tied to a recorded sale through a registered body, the practical route for a farmer is to be part of an FPO or to sell through SIMFED, keep the sale record, and the incentive follows. Exact per-unit rates are set by the department and are best confirmed with your local Horticulture / Agriculture office or your FPO, since the scheme sits inside Sikkim's wider organic framework and the figures are revised over time.
Overview
The Production Incentive Scheme was launched by the Government of Sikkim on 25 December 2020, confirmed in a Rajya Sabha answer, to encourage farmers and raise output of five crops the state is known for: buckwheat, turmeric, ginger, large cardamom and orange. It sits within Sikkim's organic framework — the state was declared fully organic in 2016, building on the Sikkim Organic Mission launched in 2010.
The defining condition of PIS is the sales route: the incentive goes to growers who sell their produce through registered institutions such as Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and SIMFED, the Sikkim State Co-operative Supply and Marketing Federation. This is deliberate — organic produce only earns its premium when it is aggregated, graded, certified and traceable, which a scattered farmer selling loose cannot achieve alone. By linking the incentive to a registered sale, the scheme rewards output and organised marketing together.
PIS is one piece of how Sikkim tries to make organic farming pay rather than just certify it, alongside processing tie-ups for large cardamom, ginger, turmeric and buckwheat. Per-unit incentive rates are set by the department and revised over time, so a grower should confirm the current rate and the registration requirement with the local Horticulture / Agriculture office or their FPO before planning a sale.
What you get
The benefit as the state notifies it — nothing here is an estimate.
- A production incentive on top of the sale price for five signature Sikkim crops.
- Rewards selling through a registered, organised channel that can command the organic premium.
- Pulls growers into FPO / SIMFED marketing instead of cheap, loose sales.
- Backs the crops Sikkim is building a value chain around — large cardamom, ginger, turmeric, buckwheat and orange.
Who is eligible
State schemes usually state their criteria as prose rather than a checklist. This is that prose, unpacked — the department’s verification is what decides.
You qualify if
- Grower in Sikkim of buckwheat, turmeric, ginger, large cardamom or orange
- Selling the produce through a registered institution — an FPO or SIMFED
- Produce from within the state's organic framework
- A recorded sale through the registered channel
Not covered
- Sales made loose / outside a registered institution, which do not attract the incentive
Documents you need
Have these ready before you start — most rejections are a missing paper, not a missing right.
- Aadhaar card
- Land / cultivation record
- Bank passbook
- FPO membership or SIMFED sale record
How to apply
Fewer steps than a central scheme, and usually one office rather than a portal.
- 1
Sell through a registered channel
Join an FPO or route your produce through SIMFED — the incentive is only on produce sold through a registered institution.
- 2
Keep the sale record
The incentive is tied to a recorded sale, so retain the FPO / SIMFED sale slip and your registration details.
- 3
Confirm the current rate
Check the per-unit incentive and any limits with your local Horticulture / Agriculture office or your FPO, as rates are revised over time.
If something goes wrong
Missing from the list, or payment stuck — here is the channel the department itself publishes for it.
- For an incentive not received on a recorded sale, raise it first with your FPO / SIMFED and the local Horticulture / Agriculture (FSADD) block or district office handling the scheme.
- Sikkim has no single public-grievance portal. For scheme-level issues use the department office and the Sikkim SSO / SSOCA services; the Rural Development Department also runs an online grievance system (grievancerdd.sikkim.gov.in). The country-wide CPGRAMS (pgportal.gov.in) is the fallback.
Frequently asked questions
Which crops does the Production Incentive Scheme cover?
Five crops Sikkim is known for — buckwheat, turmeric, ginger, large cardamom and orange. The scheme is meant to raise their output.
Why must I sell through an FPO or SIMFED to get the incentive?
Because the incentive rewards organised marketing, not just growing. Organic produce earns its premium only when it is aggregated, graded and traceable — which selling through a registered FPO or SIMFED makes possible, and a loose private sale does not.
When was it launched?
On 25 December 2020, by the Government of Sikkim, as confirmed in a Rajya Sabha reply. It builds on the Sikkim Organic Mission of 2010 and the state's fully-organic status declared in 2016.
How much is the incentive?
A per-unit production incentive set by the department, revised over time. Because the exact rate is notified by the department and we do not list an unverified figure, confirm the current rate with your Horticulture / Agriculture office or your FPO.
Is this the same as the Sikkim Organic Mission?
No. The Sikkim Organic Mission (2010) is the broader programme that made the state organic. PIS is a specific incentive, from 2020, that pays growers of five crops for selling through registered channels.
Facts checked against www.sikkim.gov.in on 8 October 2026. editorial policy.