Are you aware? the bold step was taken by the Kerala Government to go 100% organic by 2020, due to rising cases of cancer caused by the consumption of inorganic food.

 Did you know? patients with chronic kidney disease were found to have higher amounts of organochlorine pesticides in their body.

 Many Health-conscious consumers are disappointed with chemically produced foods and are started investing money and the effort to buy organic food.

 The reasons are their concern for the family members as well as the health of the environment.

The good taste and nutritional value of organic food also attract the consumers. Natural and organic is clearly slated to become bigger in India,

As per a recent Government of India study, the organic food market in the country is expected to hit the $1.36-billion mark by 2020.

 This is not surprising, as market trends indicate that organic food products that are wholly natural, grown or cultivated in an agricultural system that does not use fertilizers or pesticides slowly becoming the choice for many consumers.

 Why is non-organic food bad for you?

Consumption of non-organic food leads to gradual accumulation bioaccumulation of toxins and chemicals in the body.

This, in turn, can lead to a variety of health effects, mostly a result of various types of inflammatory processes as the accumulated toxins disrupt normal biological processes in the body and cause allergic reactions.

Non-organic crops are also grown in industrial farms that don’t practice routine soil rehabilitation and so normally yield vegetables, Fruits and other crops that have measurable heavy metals like cadmium and even mercury.

Some non-organic vegetables are genetically modified, too. GMO’s long-term effects on humans are not that widely researched yet but the available animal studies aren’t that promising.

What Makes Organic Different?

1) Consumers know what’s in their food: Any food products labeled as organic must meet a strict set of standards which define what farmers and food manufacturers can and cannot do in its production.

 2) Nutritional Values are Different: Researches have shown significant differences in the nutritional values of food produced by organic and inorganic farming.

 3) No pesticides and hazardous chemicals: Almost 300 pesticides can be routinely used in non-organic farming and are often present in non-organic food, consumption of organic food will help in avoiding the hazards caused by inorganic food.

 4) No Artificial Colors or Preservatives: Hydrogenated fats and controversial artificial food colors and preservatives are banned under organic standards.

India’s Perspective on Organic Food :

Some people believe that organic food is only a “concept” popular in developed countries.

They think that when it comes to organic food, India only exports organic food and very little is consumed.

However, this is not true. Though 50% of organic food production in India is targeted towards exports, there are many who look towards organic food for domestic consumption.

The most important reason for buying organic food was the concern for the health of children, with over 66% of parents preferring organic food to non-organic food.

Though organic food is priced over 25% more than conventional food in India, many parents are willing to pay this higher premium due to the perceived health benefits of organic food.

 The increase in organic food consumption in India is evident from the fact that many organic food stores are spurring up in India.

Today, every supermarket has Organic fruits and Vegetable Store and every large city in India has numerous organic food stores and restaurants.

 What do Indian organic food consumers prefer? The pattern of organic food consumption in India is much different than in developed countries.

In India, consumers prefer organic marmalade, organic strawberry, organic tea, organic honey, organic cashew butter, and various organic flours.

However, the Indian organic food consumer needs education. There are many consumers who are unaware of the difference between natural and organic food.

Many people purchase products labeled as Natural thinking that they are Organic. Furthermore, consumers are not aware of the certification system.