Demand for Organic Food Items Rising

Demand for organic food items is on the rise during the last few years. According to Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), production of certified organic agri-products for the last 3 years is as under:

2008-09 (Million tonnes)	2009-10 (Million tonnes)	2010-11 (Million tonnes)
1.62	1.70	3.88

             

Government is providing incentives to cultivators of organic food products under the "National Horticulture Mission" (NHM) @ Rs 10,000/- per ha for maximum area of 4 ha per beneficiary, setting up of vermi-compost units, @50% of the cost, subject to a maximum of Rs 30,000/- per beneficiary and organic farming certification @ Rs. 5.00 lakh for a group of farmers covering an area of 50 ha.

            This information was given by Shri Harish Rawat, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=80840

Go Organic and stay healthy ---- Organic Sansar

Vegetarian/Vegan Starter Kit

Vegetarian/Vegan Starter Kit: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

Bollywood Plays Organic Holi

Actors feel the need not to waste natural resources and to be kind to the environment.

Bollywood has been actively celebrating Holi for years now. With being a celebrity comes responsibility, and a few actors have become really responsible - they urge you to have a dry Holi. Do we really need to waste water, when Indian cities not only have a shortage of the natural resource, but the fact that the resource can be used for other things like electricity for example?

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and director Vipul Shah, during the shooting of Action Replayy, preferred that Holi sequence be shot without water. " Mumbai was facing a huge water shortage at that time, and it didn't make sense to make matters worse. I think we got a lovely shot. The song looks so colourful, and the spirit of the festival of colours loomed all over," said director Vipul Shah.

Actor Ronit Roy is another one who spells the need for organic colour. "Holi has changed these days. People need to become more social conscience. The kind of colour being used is so bad that you can hardly get it out with water. It pollutes the air, too. We need natural, organic colour. Who says we can't have a good time with those?" he said perturbed.

Vivek Oberoi likes celebrating this festival in a slightly different way that would bring colour and a smile on the faces of the underprivileged. The actor celebrated Holi for the first time with ever only last year. "I spent it with underprivileged kids. We had a good time. It was simple. Just some little gulal," he said.

 

Actress Anushka Sharma and Actor Rahul Bose urge all to use organic colour. "It's better for your skin," says Anushka, "And good for the environment," adds Rahul Bose.

Source: The Times of India

Organic and Herbal Holi Gulal: Organic Sansar

Organic farming in Haryana Chandigarh

Hafed to boost organic farming in Haryana Chandigarh, Mar 4

Full story: Newkerala.com

Chandigarh, Mar 4 : As a result of the constant efforts of Haryana State Cooperative Supplies and Marketing Federation , an area of 295.5 acres in Kaithal, Karnal and Kurukshetra districts has achieved the status of 100 per cent organic certification.

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Organic Products in Madhya Pradesh:  Organic Sansar : www.organicsansar.com

Green Gifting Ideas

Green Gifting is an emerging trend that results in a lower environmental impact as well as a lower impact on personal budgets from the gift giving process. It began with the idea of recycling the packaging around a gift and has expanded into the mindset that presents themselves can be chosen or created for the purpose of recycling or lowering their environmental and budgetary impact. (Source: Wikipedia)

The concept of re-gifting is not uncommon and has traditionally been followed upon. Some of the Green Gifting ideas are as follows:

1. Gift something which is based on green or eco-friendly concept like Organic Food and Cosmetics, Solar Products etc.
2. Use recycled wrapping paper, bows, or gift bags.
3. Substitute newspaper or cloth for wrapping paper. 
4. Create a present by hand.
5. Give a pass or tickets of local zoo, museum, or state and national park.
6. Search online for additional creative ideas.

Take steps to be in the "Green Bandwagon".

Contact Organic Sansar (www.organicsansar.com) for more on Green Gifting options. 

Walnut Oil

Walnut oil is oil extracted from English walnuts (also known as Persian walnuts). It is about 50% linoleic acid, an essential omega-6 fatty acid. Walnut oil is also a good source ofomega-3 fatty acids which are also essential to human nutrition.

Culinary Use

Walnut oil is edible and is generally used less than other oils in food preparation, often due to high pricing. It is light-coloured and delicate in flavour and scent, with a nutty quality. Although sometimes used for pan frying, most chefs do not use walnut oil for high temperature cooking, as heating can remove some of the oil's flavour & nutrition and produce a slight bitterness; instead it is used primarily as an ingredient in cold dishes such as salad dressings, where its flavour more easily comes through. In addition, the antioxidants present in the oil are easily destroyed in cooking.

Walnut Oil Health Benefits

The health benefits of walnut oil are becoming more readily apparent with each passing year. Several medical studies have conducted research that indicates that walnut oil offers a rich source for antioxidants, specifically ellagic acid. This antioxidant has been found to detoxify several substances linked to the development of certain cancers. In addition, ellagic acid also helps to obstruct these cancer cells from replicating themselves. Walnut oil is also rich in manganese and copper, as well as melatonin, a hormone that aids in regulation of the body’s internal clock. As if this weren’t enough, studies have revealed that walnut oil helps in lowering endothelin levels. Endothelin is a chemical that assists in inflaming the arteries. By lowering the levels of endothelin, plaque cannot accumulate in the blood vessels as efficiently. In other words, consumption of walnut oil may help prevent the chances of developing heart disease. In addition to these benefits, the high content of omega-3 oils provides heart-protecting effects, as well as anti-cancer and weight-reducing properties

The cost of walnut oil is higher than that of most other oils, but the payoff is worth it. In addition to providing a delicate flavor that enhances many foods, walnut oil also has therapeutic properties when applied to the skin, and may even act to ward off both cancer and heart disease.

Schools must Go Organic !!!

Thinking outside of the lunchbox

We’ve all heard the frightening statistics on the current state of public school lunches. Most school lunch programs use food that is processed, genetically modified, and contains high-starch ingredients. Rarely are organic options available.

However, with child obesity on the rise and pressure to make our school lunch programs healthier, organic school lunches are beginning to gain momentum. First, there are many avenues you can take to help make your child’s school lunch healthier on the home front while working to incorporate organic into your local school district.

School Lunches

Encouraging schools to partner with area farmers and organic community gardens is a great way to introduce organic foods. It can also become a hands-on way for students to learn more about organic farming and gardening practices while gaining an understanding of where their food comes from and what happens to it before arriving on their plates.

There's hope, however - but only if you're willing to actively join the fight. The Organic Consumers Association has launched the Appetite for a Change campaign, which is gathering support to:

• Eliminate junk food from school campuses
• Replace nutritionally bankrupt food choices with more healthful whole foods, vegetarian fare and organic food (no pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, irradiation or genetically engineered ingredients)
• Offer solid nutrition education in classrooms
• Ban pesticides from school grounds

"We truly can change the paradigm by making nutritious, delicious food and nutrition education a priority in our schools,"