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Get some green energy

Green Channel brings under a single roof all things organic and chemical-free

PHOTO: MURALI KUMAR K.

ALL NATURAL People are making a conscious choice to go organic

Going organic may just be fashionable for some. For some others it may be a more deep-rooted philosophy-driven choice. And for many others a matter of living natural and healthy. Whatever the reason, it's fair to say there is now an alternative and people are more aware of what they are consuming.

Tapping into this trend is Green Channel, a store that not only sells chemical-free food products, vegetables and condiments, but also organically raised saplings and garden compost. "We are the first vertically-integrated organic enterprise. We grow, process and market our own products," says Vijay Bhat, proprietor. Apart from their own range of produce, they stock other brands of organic products as well. Cardamom, pepper, fresh coconuts, dried copra and coconut oil come from Bhat's own plantation.

The others come from all over the country. Various varieties of rice, cooking oil, wheat and ragi flour, whole and split dals, grams and other pulses, whole spices and spice powders take up quite some space on the shelves. Puffed rice, beaten rice, sugar and jaggery, tamarind paste, coffee, tea, cocoa powder, drinking chocolate and even organic peanut butter are on offer. For those who can't live without their quota of pickles, there's an impressive range. For those with a sweet tooth, there's a choice of jams — pick from plum, apricot, peach and plum, mixed fruit and other exotic combinations. There's also honey and turmeric powder sourced from the tribal co-operative societies of B.R. Hills.

Range of brands

Products also include those by ProNature, Khandige, Adi Naturals, Green Foundation, Navadarshanam Farms (Anekal) and Timbaktu Organic (Andhra Pradesh). Many of these products are certified organic but Bhat also draws attention to the fact that this certification process is very expensive — something smaller NGOs and co-operatives avoid. "We then go by trust," says Bhat. The shelf life of organic products is shorter than that of others, but vegetables generally stay longer than regular ones.

"Since 1995, I've been a full-time farmer," says the reticent Bhat, who also is a part-time journalism professor at a college. "Farming is a de-stressing profession,but thankless financially. I wanted to do something apart from farming, so I started the store."

While he wants to stock organic vegetables, the economics of transporting small quantities of fresh perishable stock is not viable. Bhat admits that organic products on an average cost 30 per cent more. "But a lot of people want to buy organic because it is healthier and there is no pesticide residue. And there is a large section that can afford it; and those who come looking for particular things are knowledgeable."

And if you want to grow your own organic vegetables or healthy indoor plants, there's a whole range of manure, insecticides, pot mixes, planting mediums and fungicides, including vermicompost from manure of Mysore zoo animals and 100 per cent water-soluble neem concoctions. Many are from the Vijay Mallya Scientific Research Foundation.

In time for Christmas Green Channel will offer free-range organic turkeys, says Bhat, which are being raised on his farm in Hesarghatta.

Green Channel stocks a range of ornamental and indoor plant saplings for sale and provides landscaping consultancy, project implementation and maintenance for golf courses, gated communities, clubs and campuses.

Green Channel is at 20/1, Ali Asker Road (off Cunningham Road). You can telephone 41235739 or email green channelbangalore@gmail.com

BHUMIKA K.

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