Demystifying organic fruits and veggies

Is organic food better for you? Preetha Vijayan, a retired professor living in Mysore loves serving healthy dishes to her family of 5. Her objective is to feed her grandchildren as much veggies and fruits as possible. “My grandchildren are my weakness,” she says. Preetha prefers organic vegetables and fruits for her family. However, she has trouble trusting the authenticity or quality of most organic food in the market. Mr. Raj Kumar, the head of Organic fruits & vegetable team at bigbasket, had a similar perception about organic food. “It’s difficult to believe that every fruit or vegetable labelled organic truly is organic.” After Raj joined bigbasket, he learned how we get our organic supply and was convinced about the quality of organic fruits and vegetables at bigbasket. Here is a brief interview with Mr. Raj to help us understand how he and his team ensures that the organic produce remains organic throughout its journey. What are organic fruits & veggies and what is unique about the ones sold at bigbasket? Organic foods are produced through traditional farming practices that only use natural substances. This means, avoiding all artificial chemicals and fertilizers. bigbasket only deals with farmers who are certified with NPOP (National Programme for Organic Production) and PGS (Participatory Guarantee Scheme) organic regulations which are recognised by FSSAI. Our organic fruits and vegetables are supplied from separate organic farms producing organic food only. The organic food ispacked and shipped separately from dedicated collection centres located across India. How does bigbasket ensure that fruits and vegetables are 100% organic? bigbasket plays a significant role right from the germination to harvesting of organic food. We train and monitor farmers on new methods of farming including the use of new natural fertilizers and pesticides. A dedicated agronomist from bigbasket personally visits the farms on a regular basis to ensure the oganic process is followed strictly. The agronomist monitors & guides the farmer at every step. Additionally, bigbasket also does random lab tests of the produce to check for chemical pesticidal residues if any. Once the produce is collected at our collection centres, these fruits and vegetables are manually graded to ensure you get only the best organic food. Is organic farming beneficial to farmers? Farmers benefit both financially and personally from organic farming with bigbasket. Helps maintain the fertility of the soil Organic farming produces a more consistent and bountiful yield throughout as it maintains soil health, unlike in the conventional method of farming where soil productivity is reduced with the use of chemical fertilizer. Reduces the cost of production Natural fertilizers such as cow dung, neem leaves and other residuals generated in the farm and are cost effecient, unlike chemical-based fertilizers. Health effects on the farmer Organic farming is a completely safe method of farming for both the farmer and his field. The harmful pesticides used in conventional farming methods may cause serious illnesses and diseases in humans. Farmer testimonial bigbasket creates a market for farmers to sell their produce at the farm gate and also pays a premium for the produce. This is a major motivational factor for farmers to choose organic farming. bigbasket creates a market for farmers to sell their produce. Consuming more organic produce not only keeps us fit but also helps the farmer earn more, and keeps the environment safe & clean. bigbasket believes in making organic food affordable for its customers by ensuring its lucrative for farmers Want to know more about organic farming? Write to us at marketingfeedback@bigbasket.com [Click here]( to unsubscribe to such emails.