What is organic? Is it just a fad, where it’s okay for the products to be priced higher just because it says ‘Organic’ on the label? Certainly not. Any product or ingredient, produced without the use of chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilisers and basically anything that could potentially put your body through a lot of distress, is an organic product. It’s obviously more expensive than commercial products but it’s also so much better for you.
In a country like India, where summer is predominant, we are advised to take a lot of fluids. And one of the very first things we are made to drink and something which has been a part of our diets for thousands of years, is milk. With organic milk, cows are given fodder that is free of pesticides, fertilisers or unnecessary growth hormones and the result is, well, healthy cows. A few years ago, Chennai saw small yet determined players stepping into the organic milk market. These included Astra Dairy, Trader Koshy, The Right Moo, Madras Milk among others.
Astra Dairy
Started around three years ago, Astra dairy was one of the first organic dairy providers in South India who started supplying milk in glass bottles. They have an organic farm in Gummidipoondi where the cows are fed pesticide free fodder. The cows are milked in an automatic milking parlour, and untouched by hand, the milk goes through a chilling tank and later bottled in recyclable glass bottles. “We deliver the milk within 12 hours of milking,” says Rakesh Ravindran , director of Astra Dairy. “Three years ago we started delivering milk to a house in Anna Nagar, now we deliver milk to around 1500 homes across Chennai.” Astra Dairy’s Farm Fresh milk is available at a minimum subscription of 30 days (Rs.65 a litre).
For details, log on to www.astradairy.in.
Madras Milk
Milk from healthy cows, milked early in the morning and delivered to your doorstep in glass bottles, this is how Madras Milk works. “We started TheFarm.in and our customers loved the farm milk and many requested a daily supply,” says Karthyayini, one of the founders. “So, Madras Milk was born. We started delivering organic milk in glass bottles on a daily basis,” she adds. Madras milk supplies A2 variety milk, which is milk from native cows and not from foreign breeds. The milk is priced at Rs.70 and buffalo milk at Rs.80 a litre.
For details, log on to www.madrasmilk.com.
The Farm
Also started by the founders of Madras Milk, this is an online farmer’s market which offers an exciting variety of groceries, organic vegetables, dairy and eggs. They offer organic cow and buffalo milk and seem paal (This is the first milk from a cow which has given birth).
More details on www.thefarm.in.
The Right Moo
“Organic from Grass to Glass” — that’s the principle The Right Moo operates on. They work on subscription basis and deliver to retail stores around Chennai. Apart from milk, The Right Moo also offers organic curd, paneer and ghee. A 500 ml can of milk costs Rs. 49.
For details, log onto: therightmoo.com.
Trader Koshy
Ranging from spices, oils, pickles to dairy products, Trader Koshy does it all. Operating from Thiruporur, Trader Koshy focuses on healthy and organic ways to revive tradition, where the milk is usually delivered in stainless steel vessels. A litre of milk costs around Rs.100.
For details, facebook.com/traderkoshy.
Chennai, like many other cities in India is quickly catching up with healthier eating options where organic produce is becoming easier to find. So take your pick to suit your everyday dairy needs. -
