thecookscottage

US student goes Organic in India

A student from the US spends a term with MOFF and finds out what being organic means to India . While farmer's suicides may not be due to reasons  stated she has some other interesting observations to make.

Oh, Oh, Oatmeal Cookies

I have been searching all the general stores around to find a source for Khandsari. No luck till yesterday. Chandan's , at the end of M.G. Road has turned out to be a great place for so many types of flours and jaggery and spices. For a number of reasons I hadn't been there for years ...parking being the main problem. Before Dorabjee's it used to be THE place for all types of provisions. Typical of all general stores then, it was crammed from floor to ceiling with hundreds and thousands of things which could hardly be seen and the staircase was a death trap, a fall off point for suicidal housewives.Then the place became too small to accomodate everything and there were a host of other hassles. Things were redesigned and the groceries came downstairs and it has become self help. Now I think it well worth the trouble to go there again. Look what I uncovered.
Raw Khandsari sugar! It is marketed by Sunil Vehele whose company is called  Mahalaxmi Trade Links. He imports the khandsari from Cuba ! Besides this he he also sells organic indigenous red and brown rice from Bhimashankar which he buys on a barter system from the adivasis /tribals there. He also stocks organic jaggery and barley from Maharashtra and wheat puffs made from organic wheat from Holland. Ok so though I do support cooking globally and eating locally grown foods, I am quite happy to find that the wheat puffs are minus the chemical crap  the stuff is usually be covered with.
The Khandsari has less calories than sugar, it is a natural sweetener and is sulphur and chemical free. I bought a couple of kilos and immediately got set to try out Elise's grandmothers recipe for Oatmeal Cookies.

By making a few changes to the original recipe, using 2 cups of khandsari sugar instead of the one cup of brown and one cup of white sugar and adding a 1/2 tsp of nutmeg and 1 and 1/2 tsps of cinnamon (instead of the tablespoon recommended, as I'm sure that must be a mistake) made them just delicious.
It took 20 minutes in my oven at 350 degrees as I gave each cookie one big heaped tablespoon of the mix and I had to use a rather thick baking sheet. The general idea is to let the cookie get slightly brown on the edges and thats enough to cook it while keeping it chewy. Elise's recipe made 36 good sized cookies which are fast diminishing.

Organic Initiatives

At Terra Madre sponsored by Slow Food International, held at Turin last October, a large contingent of participants were from India .

The idea of Terra Madre is to link people who are in the 'food chain', so to speak - the producer to the vendor, the vendor to the consumer - in such an interconnected way as to realise the equality and dignity of all within the larger context of protecting health, the environment and maintenance of biodiversity.

While all such events are, to an extent, stage managed, at least some of the participants came directly from rural food communities and could reevaluate their work within a global context.

It has become increasingly evident that alternatives to the mass food production system exist, and it is an alternative many might want to pursue. Initiatives made in this direction are small but significant ones.

Vachan Shah and Srinivas Kulkarni both worked for multinationals for several years, when they met, employed as they were in distribution of products in the rural sector. They had seen and realised the effect of pesticides directly, and slowly began to make a network of about 150 farmers who used neither fertilisers nor pesticides, with a view to encourage them and to promote healthier ways of eating and living.

"Several other cities have exclusive outlets for organic food, in Delhi, in Bangalore, Hyderabad and in Chennai. We felt that such an initiative could be made in Pune.", says Vachan. Three years ago they started a shop for organic produce in Pune called 'Organic and Naturals'.

Srinivas says "Many small farmers are organic by default, meaning they cannot afford fertilisers or pesticides, especially in areas like Nandurbar in Dhule district and the tribal areas in Bhor."

This could turn into a blessing if they can benefit by continuing to keep to traditional methods and farming practices, in the realisation that small yield does not necessarily mean lower income. However the government must help in some ways.

"The government in Karnataka has done a great deal to encourage the growth of organic produce.", says Vachan.They have done a lot to promote the concepts and thinking behind organic food among the populace. As a result, the number of consumers have grown, and they are willing to pay a bit more for such produce. "

In Maharashtra, the government has been involved mostly at the producer level. An equal effort to promote by advertising amongst consumers would do much to increase volumes and then the cost of such an enterprise would become viable.

The organic movement in India has also been side tracked considerably by the concentration on export and therefore on international certification. As P.Satheesh director of the Deccan Development Society and a grassroots worker on food security and organic agriculture says "It's a sobering thought that the farmers producing the best and cleanest food must pay extra to certify, instead of inorganic foods being certified as potentially bad for our health ".

If the focus were shifted to domestic consumers it would add power to the elbow of organic farmers. Consumers here would be content with APEDA's Indian National Organic Standards certification, as they would know the produce would be less contaminated than what is currently available to them. In the initial stages of this movement in India it would serve to revalidate traditional farming practices, especially among the small farmers, where natural ways of controlling pests and enriching soil through crop rotation have been the norm.

Many people who wish to invest in organic food outlets think the supply chain mechanism and storage facilities are the two big critical issues for the organic foods segment to grow.

For Vachan and Srinivas this is not the main problem as they have farmers in the vicinity who supply them with vegetables and fruit as well as grain. They also have contacts with producers further afield in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, Goa and of course Maharashtra.

These include Om Prakash Mor Eco Farms in Yavatmal who grows several different types of lentils, cereals, oilseeds and fruits.

Organics and Naturals also stock Black jaggeryand honey, spices, Jawar and Bajra, Nachani and Soybean flour. They sell a wide range of indigenous rice varieties such as Ambemohar, Hatsadi, and Indrayani.They have coconut jam !, a fine rock salt, tofu, seasonal fruits and fresh vegetables.

I came away from O&N with a bagful of interesting food stuffs which friends and family have enjoyed, with hope, and with the realisation that every effort counts in the marathon that is ethical development.

Organics and Naturals, 1 Kamaljia Apartments, 1306 Shivajinagar, Bank of Baroda Lane, J.M. Road, Pune 411005
Tel: 20-2553 6835, Open 10 a.m-2 p.m & 4 p.m-8 p.m, Closed on Sundays, email: organicnnaturals@rediffmail.com and vachanshah@vsnl.net

Click here for a list of organic outlets in India.

Organic Food Outlets and Resources-updated August 2007

This is a very small and tentative list. Any information about other stores would be welcome. Some of the phone numbers may have changed.

Maharashtra

PUNE

Rashmi's Health Food Products
Mahalaxmi Trade Links
Baner
Pune 411045
Tel: 9850052296
Raw Khandsari sugar, brown rice, red rice, wheat puffs

Organic and Naturals
1, Kamaljia Apartments
1306 Shivajinagar, J.M. Road Bank of Baroda Lane
Pune 411 005
Tel- 25536835
email:organicnnaturals@rediffmail.com

Nature's Bounty
G II/6 Liberty II
North Main Road
Koregaon Park
Pune 411001
Tel: 26114627
Grains, lentils, oils, sugar, salt,and some spices.

Green Grocers
28/2 Koregaon Park,
Pune 400001
Tel.: 26119654

Some organic brown and red rice.

Fab India

Aundh
Plot 2 & 3,
Akshay Complex,
Pushpak Park, ITI Road,
Aundh, Pune - 411007;
Ph: +91-20-26010586
Email:aundh.pune@fabindia.com
Store Timings: 10:30 am to 8:30 pm Open all days of the week

Teas, Jams, Achars and more.

Sassoon Road
Sakar 10,
Opposite Jehangir Nursing Home,
Sassoon Road,
Pune- 411001
Ph: +91-20-26124820,
+91-20-26124832
Email:pune@fabindia.com

Store Timings: 10:00 am to 7:45 pm; Open all days of the week

Health Shop
Shop 1, 5th Avenue Building
Dhole Patel Road
Pune 411001
Tel: 26119679

Shakti Mushrooms
Kailas Kapare
Hadapasar.
Mob -9371044901 Oyster Mushrooms and Mushroom papad.

Dorabjee
Moledina Road
Pune 411001

Organic Rice

MUMBAI

Magna Book Gallery & Nutrition Centre
Sassoon Building,
143, M.G. Road, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai - 400001.
Tel: 22671763
Email: sales@magnanutritioncentre.com
It is open everyday from 10am to 8pm

Fabindia Overseas Pvt. Ltd.
Jeroo Building,
137, M.G. Road
Mumbai - 400 001
Tel: +91-22-22626539 / 40

E-mail: jeroo.bombay@fabindia.com

Timings: 10.00 am to 7.45 pm
(Monday closed)

Conscious Foods
Tel:022-26512079
Website:www.consciousfood.com

Bakhshay and Co.
Tel:022-5662-5152 or at 98202 98509
Sells organic cheese

INDORE

Navrang Biofood Private Ltd.
Amar Darshan 3rd Floor
Old Palasia
Indore 452018
Tel:+919826028887
email: aditya_goyal_in@hotmail.com

Organic wheat and pulses

Tamilnadu

CHENNAI

Arogyam
CENTRE FOR INDIAN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS
B45 Alagesan Nagar, Opposite Govt. Hospital,
Chengalpet - 603001.
Tel : 04114-230625 / 04114-570855

Organically grown indigenous rice varieties

Future Food
Soya, dals and coffee powder,
Tel- 24404937

Ahumkaara
Five seed mix, buckwheat, fresh aloe vera and wheat grass
Tel- 26611818

Enfield Agrobase
Mangoes, dried bananas, cashew and coconut
Ph - 24420605

Naturagros
Aloe vera tooth paste and soap, organic fruit juice concentrate, vegetables, greens
Ph - 55850122

Naturally Auroville
Kombucha, Spaghetti, ragi, spirulina and bread
Ph - 38330517

Sunday Shandy
Weekly fair of organic vegetables, milk and other farm produce, direct from the farm.
Every Sunday 9AM to 12PM
Tel - 24991203

The Eco Nut
Sesame butter and homemade jams
Tel - 24919592 :

Naturally Auroville Boutique
8, Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Chennai

 

COIMBATORE

Green Thumb
43, West Venkataswamy Road
R.S.Puram
Coimbatore-641002
Ph. no 0422-4368657

Organic Vegetables and grains

Sreevatsa Organic Farm Products,
7/1A Mettupalayam road
Coimbatore 641043
Tamilnadu
Tel: 0422 2454817; 09442621932

Karnataka

MYSORE

Nesara
A.P. Chandrashekhar 
'Indraprastha' Jeevadharaka Sasyavaata
Kalalavadi village, Post Udbhooru, Mysore - 570 008
Karnataka, India
Phone: 0821- 597936 

Green Bazar,
Mysore

Andhra Pradesh

Anantapur District

Timbaktu Organics
Adisakthi Dharani
C/o Timbaktu Collective
Chennekothapalli village – 515 101
Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, India
Ph: 0091-8559-240149, 240335; 0091-94401 39381
Email: organic@timbaktu.org

HYDERABAD

The Deccan Development Society
DDS Sangam Shop at Zaheerabad.
Tel:( 08451 )282271 / 282785

Bapoorouu Parupudi’s Farm
Tumkunta, Hyderabad
Tel: 044 27812160 or 9848160025

Earth Shop
SD Road, Hyderabad
Tel: 044 27768967

24 Lettered Mantra
Hyderabad (Sresta Natural Bioproducts)
Organically grown fruits, vegetables, staples and spices.
The company plans to open stores in Chennai, Bangalore, and Pune by the year-end

BANGALORE

24 Lettered Mantra
#686, 16th Main, 39th Cross
Jayanagar 4th T Block
Bangalore 560041

Tel: +91 80 4146 7737/38

24 Lettered Mantra
Belandur
Outer Ring Road
Bangalore

Tel: +91 80 4148 6611/22

Ostara Shop
3201 7th Main (Along Shirdi Sai Baba Road), HAL II Stage
Tel- 2521-5707/2520-1616
theostarashop@hotmail.com
Open: 10am - 8.30pm. Open all days

Jaiva
8, Hospital Road (parallel to Infantry Road), next to Subway,
Bangalore 560 001.
Open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on all days except Tuesday, which is a holiday.
Tel- 94484-70353

Namdhari’s
Fresh Organic fruit and Vegetables
Opp. National Games Village
Koramangala

Health Food Stores.
Sadashiv Nagar
Tel- 2360-1777, 2360-0630

Arogya
the `complete health store' retailing everything from tummy trimmers to protein drinks -
Koramangala.

Era Organics
Bangalore
Tel:080 9900543881
email: info@eraorganic.com
Vegetables, FruitsCereals, Pulses, Spices retailing

Green Channel
20/1, Ali Asker Road (off Cunningham Road).
Tel: 41235739
email: green channelbangalore@gmail.com

Khandige
68/1, Jaraganahalli,
Near Sarakki Gate,
Kanakpura Main Road
Bangalore - 560 078
Tel : +(91)-(80)-26714599
Fax : +(91)-(80)-26714599
Email : vikasb@satyam.net.in , pureherbs@vsnl.net
Contact Person: Mr. Satyanath K. K. / Mr. Sudhakar Karanth
Spices, Coconut oil, Sesame oil,Jaggery
Beauty Products, Ayurvedic medicines

Sahaja Samruddha
Ph: 080-23650744
savayavasiri@gmail.com
Paddy, Sapota, Guava, Banana, Mango

DELHI

Fabindia now offers home delivery of organic food products

Available Products
Cereals (chawal, makka, gehun) (3)  Sweeteners (1)  Summer Coolers (satt) (4) 
Pulses (dal) (10)  Honey (shahad) (5)  Marmalades, Conserves & Crushes (15) 
Flour Atta  (8)  Tea (chai) (11)  Herbal and Ayurvedic Formulations (15) 
Spices (masala) (8)  Pickles & Chutneys (5)   
Pasta (5)  Processed foods (4) 

Website: http://www.fabindia.com/forganics/default.asp#

Whole Foods
New Friends Colony, New Delhi
Tel: 011 26820701

Dubden Healthy Living
4A Shahpur Jat
Delhi

Aricha Retail
Aricha Trading Co.
10 varieties of spices
Selling through Godrej, Reliance Retail, Spencers

Gujerat

AHMEDABAD

Asal
Organic Food and Natural Products Store
5, Tejpal society
Near Fateh nagar bus-stop
Paldi
Ahmedabad - 380007
Ph : +91 79 26622020 / 22
email : asalworld (at) yahoo.co.in
website: www.asalworld.org

Inheritance India - Organic coffee

Organic India Organic Food Suppliers

Resources for Organic Farming:

http://www.indiatogether.org/agriculture/organic.htm

http://www.organicmonitor.com/asia.htm

http://www.aofgindia.org/

http://www.farmedia.org