Going the green way
Organic Food
The advantages of consuming organic food products over their chemically-doused counterparts is obvious. Since they are grown in an environment that’s completely free of synthetic inputs, such as fertilisers and pesticides, switching to organic food can help prevent a myriad of health defects like lower body weight, poor immunity and a damaged nervous system.
This is especially in the case of fruits and vegetables that aren’t cut and peeled since residual chemicals are tough to wash off the skin.
Despite this, organic food products don’t seem to be finding much of a market in the City. Metrolife speaks to a few suppliers and experts to find out why.
Tenain Yega, the manager of ‘Tibetan Organic’, a store that stocks organic pulses, oils and fruits, says that the demand for these products varies greatly. “While some, like the oils, enjoy a consistent demand and regular purchasers, we do face a bit of a challenge with the others,” he admits.
He believes that lack of awareness is a contributing factor to this problem, saying, “There is not much awareness about the benefits of organic food amongst people in the City. Even those who are slightly aware of it have an incomplete knowledge.”
Dr G Gandhi, the founder of the Institute for Subsidised Education Initiatives and an expert on sustainable agricultural practices, feels that another reason that organic food products don’t enjoy much popularity in the market is the fact that they aren’t easily available. He explains, “In foreign countries, stores have separate shelves for organic food. But we don’t see that kind of exclusivity over here. The yield of organic food is much lower than that of pesticide-dependent foodstuff. Because of residual chemicals in the soil, land has to remain fallow for about three years before it gets organic certification. This really hampers production.”
Another reason that organic food doesn’t have many takers in the City is its cost factor. As Tenain says, these products come at a price that’s approximately 30 to 40 per cent more than non-organic ones. “This is because farmers of the organic movement are often paid a premium over the price of the product. This cost then has to be recovered, so organic products are priced a little higher,” he explains, adding that this serves a deterrent to many potential customers.
However, Aparna Kumar, who owns an organic food store called ‘Adi Naturals’ in JP Nagar, claims that this isn’t always the case. “There have been times when tomatoes were selling for Rs 60 in the market, and we were still selling organic ones for Rs 25,” she recalls.
According to her, switching to organic food is simply a personal decision. “It’s a question of the lifestyle change that an individual wants to make. People spend money on so many other things, and it’s up to them whether they want to spend it on eating better food,” she adds.
