Health-conscious Delhi goes the organic way

Delhiites have started watching what they eat. Sale of organic foods, seen as a passing fad till a few years ago, has soared, thanks to a rising focus on health and environment in the Capital.

Delhiites have started watching what they eat. Sale of organic foods, seen as a passing fad till a few years ago, has soared, thanks to a rising focus on health and environment in the Capital.

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Produced without synthetic pesticides, fertilisers, antibiotics or growth hormones, organic food has carved a market for itself in the past three years. According to a Yes Bank Ltd research, the market for the products in Delhi-NCR is around Rs. 125 crore.

The Altitude Store, which stocks 1,700 organic products, has recorded a 500% growth in sales in two years. “People started with organic vegetables and meat but moved on to eggs, bread, pulses and even pasta,” said owner Ayesha Grewal.

Ganesh Eashwar, whose store Dubdengreen has seen a growth of 20% each year since it started in 2003, explained the trend: “People want to eat good, clean food. They also want to do something for the earth.”

Other stores such as Morarka Organics, Fab India and Navdanya are also cashing in on the trend.

Some, like filmmaker Nandan Saxena, even grow their own organic food at home. “Our forefathers were healthier because they ate organic food. We do not have a future if we consume pesticide-laden food,” he said.