Guide to Organic Food in Delhi Deana Heath When I moved to Delhi in late 2010 there was considerable attention

in the media about the toxicity of produce in Delhi stories about tests being done on Delhi produce and the results revealing that it has on average 700 times the level of pesticides legally acceptable in Europe (or in some cases more up to 1300 times in the case of things like cauliflower or leafy vegetables). As a vegetarian, long-term advocate of organic produce and mother of a baby just discovering solid foods, I set out to find what other options were available here. This brief guide is a result of my findings. The Problem The news about produce in India is indeed disturbing, not just in or around Delhi. While there are undoubtedly millions of farmers who dont use pesticides (probably because they dont have access to them), the myth of Indian produce being all organic is just that. Not only does the government supply pesticides to farmers, generally without telling them how to use it, but there are five major pesticides in use in India that are widely banned elsewhere in India (DDT and the notorious endosulphan, widely credited with producing horrific birth defects and major health problems in parts of Kerala, being just two of the culprits). Economic growth has also not been accompanied by a concomitant growth of environmental protection; Industrial units have been established all over the country, often on formerly pristine farmland, with little, if any, provisions made for disposing of waste water and other products. Farmers often have but little option but to use such waste water on their fields. While such a state of affairs has fuelled peasant protest, there is little sign that their grievances will be redressed. The dairy industry is in a similarly disturbing state, although this has attracted less media attention than produce so its difficult to find out exactly what is going on. But groups like PETA and other NGOS have drawn attention to the widespread practice by dairy farmers of giving oxytocin to their cattle (although this is in fact illegal in India). In addition to the torture this causes the animals (theyre basically subjected to the equivalent of labour contractions in order to get them to produce more milk), the oxytocin then enters the milk supply, and there are no studies of the long-term effects of this. Other hormones are also in widespread use, and there is also considerable evidence of often severe animal abuse in the dairy industry (and the meat industry as well, as anyone would be aware who witnesses the state of the average chicken). The Good News There is, however, considerable good news to offset the bad, which is the blooming of organic farms and food outlets in or near Delhi in the past ten years.

This is a very nascent industry, but it is being undertaken by some very dedicated people who are passionate about organic food, about the environment, and about securing a fair livelihood for farmers. One of the things that I love about buying organic here is that everything is grown locally, so the environmental footprint is much lower in getting the food to your plate than in most other parts of the world (where much of the organic produce is imported, including from India). Organic certification is, however, extremely difficult to come by in India, so some purveyors who tout their wares as organic are actually selling what is generally referred to here as natural produce, which means that it is produced without any pesticides but lacks official certification. Is it Really Organic? This raises the question about whether such produce is really organic. In the case of fresh produce its somewhat possible to tell, since organic produce has a very short shelf life (its a good idea, if youre getting it delivered once a week, to steam some of it ahead of time and then freeze it for use later in the week). Ive found this to be the case with the produce Ive tried from Ehsaas Organic, Dubden Green, The Altittude Store, Health is Wealth, and Natures Basket. Pesticide-free produce also usually just tastes better. In the case of organic or natural staples like dals or rice, dairy products, or products like honey or nut butters, there doesnt seem to be much choice but to take the claim about being organic at face value and hope for the best. Ive yet to see any producers of organic produce or other goods advertise their organic credentials. Where to get Organic Produce One of the truly wonderful things about Delhi now is that there are a number of very good outlets for organic produce, several of which deliver. Some of these deliver direct from their own farms. Just bear in mind a few things when getting organic produce delivered: the supplier can only provide you with produce that is ready for picking, so you may not be able to get your full order each week (I always order extra just in case); weather can affect both the amount of produce you receive and when or if you will receive it; and produce is seasonal - so you wont be getting any sweet potatoes in May. Most of these suppliers, however, offer vegetables that you wont find on the street, like pok choi, red and yellow peppers, courgettes/zucchini, and baby corn. Ahana Organic One of the newest entrants to the organic market in Delhi, this tiny shop in Hauz Khas village offers organic produce from its own farm, which can be picked up at the shop. See their website at www.ahanaorganic.com.

The Altitude Store Although this small but wonderful operation in Shantiniketan doesnt have its own farm, it offers a wide range of vegetables, which they deliver or have available for pick-up if you order ahead of time. See their website at http://www.thealtitudestore.com/. Ehsaas Organic This wonderful supplier of organic vegetables and fruits has its own farm in Haryana and also sources organic produce from further afield. For an annual fee they deliver fresh produce once a week and, a real boon for those who dont live in South Delhi, they deliver to most of Delhi, Gurgaon, and I think Noida as well. They have a website, http://ehsaasorganic.com/, but its probably a good idea to email them to set up delivery, get their latest list of available fruits and vegetables and place an order. DubdenGreen Based at Shahpur Jat and run by a couple who have been long-term advocates of organic produce and sustainability, this company has been running an organic farm for over 20 years and are, I think, the only company to offer delivery twice a week (but only to South Delhi). See their website: www.organicbounty.com. The French Farm Contact Roger Langbour (2635-9701, 98101-66196) for queries about vegetable delivery. Laksh Farms This organic farm in Haryana offers vegetable deliveries check with them for their delivery range and further info. at lakshfoundation@gmail.com. Natures Basket The title of this shop is rather misleading, since it offers primarily imported, nonorganic food products. It does, however, offer a small range of organic vegetables and fruits. See http://www.naturesbasket.co.in/contact.php for locations. Navdanya This wonderful organization that works to promote the welfare of farmers and encourage sustainability has two major outlets in Delhi, one in Haus Khas and

the other at Dilli Haat. The Hauz Khaus location offers weekly vegetable delivery. See their website at www.navdanya.org. Spencers There are a number of these shops throughout Delhi and Gurgaon, and they offer a small range of organic vegetables. Dairy Theres unfortunately not as much going on in terms of organic dairy in and around Delhi as there is with organic produce. The cost of producing organic milk makes this a challenge, as does arranging for reliable delivery, which is why some of those whove tried like DubdenGreen, Laksh farms and, apparently, Asaavi Farms (who were delivering organic milk until recently but seem to have disappeared) had to end their operations. An additional challenge with dairy is the cost of pasturizing it, which is why none of the current providers do so. While the bulk of the population in India undoubtedly drinks unpasturized milk, there are potentially serious medical risks in doing so, and simply boiling the milk, while reducing these, does not eliminate them. Make an informed choice, therefore, if you decide to drink organic milk. You can get natural, unpasturized milk, from The Altitude Store, Navdanya at Dilli Haat (you need to arrange this with them ahead of time) and Ehsaas Organic is launching a delivery service for their organic milk.- its currently unpasturized but theyre looking into providing pasturized milk. Another option is Trumilk, a company based in Punjab that doesnt claim to be organic but does claim not to give hormones to its dairy cows. It has recently entered the Delhi market and is available at the following outlets: Modern Bazaar 18B, 19A, Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar The Taste 33, Defence Colony Market Rajindra Florest 48, Defence Colony Market A1 Stores Jorbagh Market Golden Bakery Khanna Market, Lodhi Road K.D. Store 9, Mini Khan Market Sharda Store 71B, Khan Market Bombay Dry Fruit 54, Khan Market

Organic cheese is difficult to come by The Altitude Store, however, offers a range of organic cheeses, as does Health Is Wealth, and DubdenGreen sells their own organic paneer. Organic Staples The range of organic staples now available in Delhi is impressive. A number of the providers listed above also make many of their own organic products, in addition to offering staples like pulses, grains and flours. Ahana Organic In addition to having their own farm, they also offer staples like pulses (which, a great boon, come in re-sealable bags), as well as a range of lovely organic products like chutneys. They also win, hands down, for having the loveliest shop. The Altitude Store This little operation wins pride of place for having a wonderful website, and offering the widest range of interesting products outside of the usual staples things like organic jams, crackers and breads. Down to Earth Store There are now two of these in Delhi one at 25 Khan Mill Compound, Sau Puta Road, Chattarpur, and one at A-92A Namberdar Estate, Taimoor Nagar, opposite New Friends Colony. They sell organic. pulses, oils, snacks, spices, tea, flours, cleaning products, and beauty products. Contact them at downtoearthdelhi@morarkaorganic.com for further info. Dubdengreen They sell a wide range of their own dals, rice, various flours, cold pressed oils, pure honey, spices, dried fruits, jams, pickles, squashes, teas, health supplements, some beauty products, biodegradable detergents, natural soaps and other products. They also offer bread made from their own organic flour on Fridays. It has to be ordered the day before by 2 pm. Fabindia Organics One of the first producers of organic products in India, Fabindia now offers a range of 200 products, from food staples to pasta and peanut butter, as well as beauty products. Their flagship shop is at 14 N-Block Market, Greater Kailash I, although other outlets may have a larger selection of organics (such as the huge store in Vasant Vihar). See www.fabindia.com for info. on outlets.

Health is Wealth This tiny shop in a basement in Defence Colony market (no. 44), is hands down, my favourite shop in Delhi. It offers everything in one place, including a lot of the pulses, grains, cereals, flours, etc. offered by other organic producers as well as a range of imported organic and other health food (you can even get things like quinoa and agave syrup). It also sells organic baby food, both Indian (theres a wonderful new brand of Indian baby cereal on the market) and imported, as well as a small range of fruits and vegetables, wonderful organic tofu, and organic cheeses. Khadi Gramudyog Bhavan There are a number of these in Delhi, including Connaught Place, and they offer a variety of spices, pulses and other food items. Navdanya This company offers many organic staples, as well as a few more unusual items (like their heavenly amaranth cereal). Products can be bought both at their Hauz Khas and Dilli Haat outlets. Sikkim Organic Store R-Block Market, Pamposh Enclave, Greater Kailash I (6452-3997). Ive never been here and dont have any info. on this shop, but its location should prove a boon for many South Delhiites. Swissgourmessa.com http://www.swissgourmessa.com/ Whole Foods This tiny shop at 47 Community Centre, New Friends Colony, offers a small range of organic snacks, breads, and staples. Meat and Eggs Thankfully organic eggs are fairly easy to come by in Delhi. Keggs, which claim to be near-organic and free range, are available in most markets. Other shops like Natures Basket carry a range of near organic eggs, and The Altitude Store offers organic eggs.

As a vegetarian I havent looked into the organic meat options in Delhi the two that Im aware of are The French Farm and The Altitude Store, but there may be others.

Other Products Organic tea is widely available in Delhi theres a wonderful tea shop in Sunder Nagar market that sells a range of them, but many shops, like Health is Wealth and The Altitude Store, also offer organic teas. Organic coffee, however, is harder to come by. The Inheritance India Coffee Club apparently has organic coffee available, and delivers all over India se their website at www.inheritanceindia.co.in. Eating Out This is, unfortunately, one of the disappointing areas of the organic market in Delhi organic produce doesnt yet seem to have made many inroads in eating establishments. The only places Im aware of are Navdanyas wonderful organic cafes at Hauz Khas and Dilli Haat. Home Stays If you want to have the organic farm experience, there are a number of options for farm stays. Laksh Farms offers farm stays, while Grewals Farm, a 40-acre farm near Alwar, offers Living with Nature farm orientations (see www.indianorganic.com). Saharia Organic Resort is an organic farm that offers farm stays and volunteer live-and-work programmes (www.sahariaorganicresort.com).