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New Delhi, June 4 (IANS) Renuka Eapen, a mother of two, switched to eating organic food because “it would be better for my children and the environment”. Arkaja Singh made the move because organic food “often tastes much better”. Thousands like them are driving the demand for organic food, which is now a Rs.5.6 billion market in India, according to the International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA) in Bangalore
“Organic food is now more accessible in India, with more shops coming up and more information available to those who want it,” said Eapen.
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With growing awareness of the nature and number of dangerous chemicals being used in modern agriculture, more consumers are turning towards food grown organically.
“Till now organic food was mainly being exported,” said M.K. Menon, executive director of ICCOA. “But over the last couple of years, the domestic market has started growing.
“Many state governments have woken up to the importance of organic farming and have announced several incentives for farmers to go organic.”
In another sign of the growing demand for organic food, the area under certified organic cultivation is increasing 40 percent every year, according to ICCOA, albeit starting from a small base.
Independent international agencies like SGS and Skal as well as the Indian Organic Certification Agency (Indocert) inspect farms and certify those that meet their standards for organic cultivation.
Synthetic fertiliser and pesticides are banned in organic farming. Instead, it relies on natural fertiliser and pesticides such as neem-based products as well as by-products from other trees or plants.
Organic farming, of course, has been the norm in India for centuries. Synthetic fertiliser and pesticides were introduced during the first Green Revolution of the 1960s and grew in use thereafter, to the extent that it is now called “conventional” agriculture.
Now the adverse impacts of these synthetic chemicals are coming home to roost - from people falling ill after eating pesticide-laced food to the soil losing its fertility to waterways being polluted.
The move back towards organic agriculture has covered 339,113 hectares in certified farms by now, says the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
The non-certified organic area is much larger. At an estimated 2.46 million hectares, it includes small farms whose owners cannot afford to buy chemical fertiliser and pesticides, plus those in the process of getting certification.
The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India(Assocham) estimates that 20 percent of farmers are into organic farming. However, not all organically grown produce is marketed as such, since many of the farmers are subsistence farmers or do not have certification.
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Make citrus fruits a part of your routine and add zing n' health to your life! The high Vitamin C content in citrus fruits is a healer and boosts your immune system.
My father, who was a doctor, always insisted that we eat fresh lemon every day-either in nimbu pani, or squeezed over something on our plate during meals. He said this would keep us "fighting fit and our body's defences fortified".
This is even truer today when we spend a lot of time in closed and crowded spaces that could be potentially unhealthy. Also, there is a constant onslaught on our immune system due to the pesticide residues in our food, pollution in the air and water, and stress levels. You can see why it's essential to have citrus fruits-chock full of Vitamin C!
Citrus fruits, their leaves and flowers, have a lovely, refreshing flavour and fragrance. There are a host of them you can choose from-lemon, lime, tangerine, orange, tiny mandarin oranges, sweet lime (mosambi), grapefruit, kinoo, malta, pommelo, clementine, bergamot and other varieties specific to various regions of the world. Native to the East, citrus fruits are now grown in places as far as sunny California in the West.
And aren't they versatile! Use them in savoury as well as sweet dishes, for marmalade, candied peel, or lemon curd filling. Their taste ranges from sweet (orange and sweet lime) to sour (lemon) and often a mix of the two-as in grapefruit.
Like I said, all citrus fruits are known for their high Vitamin C content. This vitamin is a healer and boosts your immune system too. It defends the body against infections and also protects you from respiratory health problems such as colds and wheezing. Vitamin C also assists the absorption of iron in the body and strengthens bones and teeth. Fruit juice from orange, mosambi, or even a simple nimbu pani is healthy and refreshing.
It's best to retain as much of the pulp as you can when having a citrus juice to bulk up on fibre. This helps the bowels, controls blood sugar and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels too. Naturally, it is beneficial for diabetics. Citrus fruits also contain other nutrients such as potassium, folate, calcium, thiamin, niacin, Vitamin B6, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and a variety of phytochemicals.
They contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol! So having citrus fruits and juices regularly will make your heart and bones stronger and protect you from strokes. The folate in them also prevents birth defects. It is, therefore, great for expectant mothers.
Note: For maximum benefit, consume as fresh as possible and within minutes of being 'squeezed'. This is because the Vitamin C gets depleted on exposure to air. Citrus fruits are also best eaten raw and in salads as cooking makes them lose Vitamin C.
Studies have shown that the anti-oxidant properties and phytochemicals in citrus fruits fight free radicals in the body. This helps protect it against many cancers such as those of the skin, colon and breast, as well as fight chronic diseases.
You must have noticed the wonderful fragrance of an orange just peeled---you smell the essential oil from the skin or zest of the fruit. Its warm and heady fragrance wafting from candles, soap/shampoo or a refreshing cup of lemon or Earl Grey tea, can really make you addicted to all things citrus. Plus citrus fruits are so easy to have---go right ahead and add a zingy flavour to your life!
Pick them better
Fresher produce usually has a shinier, plumper skin. When it is older, it tends to dehydrate and lose some of its taut texture and sheen.
One more way of testing is to scratch the skin and smell it immediately. You should get a burst of citrus fragrance.
For citrus fruit or lemons that are a few days old at home, immerse in tap water for 20 minutes (or less, if not so dry). They will plump up and give you more juice.
Jayashree Joshi Eashwar is co-founder of Dubdengreen-The Organic Food Store And More, Delhi. Also an editor and market research consultant, she has had a lifelong passion for food. Write to her at jayashree.e@preventionindia.com This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .
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