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16 Focus What exactly is organic Rapidly becoming a fashionable buzzword for foodies organic food can lend itself to several interpretations and meanings EURDGO DFFHSWHG GH QLWLRQ GHVFULEHV organic food as food grown and processed using non synthetic fertilisers or pesticides However pesticides derived from natural sources like biological pesticides may also be used in producing organically grown food It is universally accepted that organic food is better for health and the planet too Organic food has nearly 50 per cent more antioxidants known to reduce risk of cancer and heart disease and more vitamins and minerals as revealed by a study funded by the EU Furthermore organic farming does not result in soil erosion or involve the use of dangerous pesticides that may take centuries to decompose as observed with conventional farming It really is a personal choice but how can anyone think substances such as pesticides capable of killing insects can be good for you asks New York University professor Marion Nestle PhD However there are some controversial aspects to organic food as well such as its impact on the environment due to long distance transportation leading to increased carbon footprint or the big YDULDQFH LQ LQGLYLGXDO GH QLWLRQV E different countries Organic in Europe XURSH LV GH QLWHO WKH UVW DQG IDVWHVW continent adapting to the growing demand for organic food Germany is Europe s leading market in terms of organic food sales EUR 7 55 billion in 2013 covering 3 7 per cent of the total German food market At the moment there are more than 23 000 organic producers in Germany farming on 6 4 per cent of the total agricultural land These farmers mainly grow wine cereals and Mascha Ananda Eckhardt reports on the evolving worldwide trend of growing and eating organic focusing on the two very different yet inter connected markets of Germany and the UAE Going green organic food demystified green fodder However Germany lags behind the rest of the EU when it comes to production of organic food possibly due to factors such as comparably higher wages and the weather German farmers GR QRW QG WKH SULFH JDS ZRUWK HQRXJK to switch to organic production and some organic farmers even switched back to traditional farming Germany has its own organic logo the Biosiegel which is used by more than 3 400 companies Nürnberg in Germany also hosts BIOFACH which is the world s leading trade fair for organic food with nearly 42 500 visitors and 2 263 exhibitors in 2014 Beyond organic biodynamic Taking the organic campaign a step further is Biodynamic farming It emphasises the use of the soil plants and animals as a self sustaining system Famous philosopher Rudolf Steiner is considered to be the founder of Biodynamics who concluded that it is only a matter of time before western civilisation destroys itself and the entire earth After being asked for help by concerned farmers he gave a series of lectures concerning an ecological and sustainable approach to agriculture leading to the development of Biodynamic farming In Germany Demeter is an international brand for products from Biodynamic Agriculture Founded in 1928 on the basis of Steiner s lectures it stands for very strict International Demeter Production and Processing Standards which supplement the organic regulations of the respective country around the world It is not a mere trend or fad but a serious food phenomenon that needs to be supported and grown to the point where organic is no longer a choice or a luxury but a way of life for everyone Going organic in the UAE The availability of and demand for organic food in the UAE is a relatively recent trend but one that s clearly on the rise It is not just eating organic however recent years have seen an emergence of organic farming in the UAE According to a recent article in Arabian XVLQHVV JXUHV VKRZHG WKDW there are 39 organic farms in the UAE covering 3 920 hectares of land up from 218 hectares in 2007 and producing more than 60 different crops including tomatoes cucumbers aubergines carrots various greens apples lemons and much more this is quite remarkable considering the climatic conditions of the country Some of the better known places to buy organic produce in Dubai include t Down to earth Organic which aims at facilitating a healthy chemical free responsible lifestyle t Greenheart Organic Farms whose team harvests every morning in order to not have to store their produce t Organic Foods and Café the pioneers of organic food in the UAE have four branches in the UAE and combines a restaurant with a supermarket t Ripe market whose founder when IDFHG ZLWK GLI FXOWLHV LQ HDV DFFHVV WR organic products decided to not only provide the UAE residents with organic food but also to support local farmers There are two major challenges to the growth of the organic industry here however one is the failure of supply meeting the continually growing demand and secondly the premium prices that keeps the low income segment of the population from buying organic produce Despite this it can be concluded that by counting the various places offering organic food that the demand for this sector has evolved in the UAE EUROPE IS DEFINITELY THE FIRST AND FASTEST CONTINENT ADAPTING TO THE GROWING DEMAND FOR ORGANIC FOOD Mascha Ananda Eckhardt Intern at German Emirati Joint Council for Industry and Commerce AHK Dubai