it's a good thing that not everyone goes in for the "organic" stuff... the world would not be able to sustain the population if everything went "organic"...
it's a good thing that not everyone goes in for the "organic" stuff... the world would not be able to sustain the population if everything went "organic"...
I know this is somewhat of limited usability here in HK/China, but I am sure there are bits you can take away from it (I suppose Mangos and Pineapple sold in the US are still coming from the Philippines, just like in HK).
The EWG (Environmental Working Group) is publishing a "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean 15" list, which shows which vegies/fruits are loaded with pesticides and other crap, and which ones are usually relatively clean.
For instance, knowing that Onions, Kiwi and Pineapple are on the clean list, you don't have to fork out a lot of extra money to buy them organic.
Check the site below for more info and guides etc:
EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides | Environmental Working Group | EWG.org
List
12 Most Contaminated
Peaches
Apples
Sweet Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Pears
Grapes (Imported)
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes
12 Least Contaminated
Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn (Frozen)
Pineapples
Mango
Asparagus
Sweet Peas (Frozen)
Kiwi Fruit
Bananas
Cabbage
Broccoli
Papaya
PS: And as for farming organic IN Hong Kong, how would that really work with our polluted air and soil? I'd be surprised if the stuff wouldn't end up in your produce, but hey I am not a farmer
(I enjoyed eating my grandmothers tomatoes in her garden back home last summer, she has lots of vegies, grapes, berries, and more, love it).
Last edited by 100LL; 15-04-2012 at 09:11 AM.
I am a grower/farmer (some of my partners have been growing for 3 generations), and we recently established a new farm in Hong Kong, to address these very issue. After meeting with various producers of fruits and vegetables (and going through the logistic cycle of CIQ 'china inspection quarantine') I was shocked at knowing over 80% being false labelled "Organic".
Without getting into the politics, it was easily notable and visible to anyone who wanted to follow the "from farm to table" line. From most farms that do not have the organic certification, they sell it to the ones that do, for obvious reasons, since organic demands more of a premium.
Second, because over 97% (AFCD Agriculture in HK) of your perishable items come from China daily. Who can police this and keep track at 2am in the morning?
My group and I are looking to change this. We are trying very hard to make agriculture transparent and educate customers/buyers involved. But I already feel the blockades of the established organizations. Luckily we have people that have taken their time to visit our farm and understand you don't require pesticides and other harmful chemicals to grow.
We address issues from Airflow, Pollution, Water, Nutrient (chemical/organic/microbes), Filters, Labor, Energy (Co2 Emissions), Genetic Modification, Greenhouse, Spacing Issues, Fungus, Bacteria, etc. as we are end users and concerned parents; we all wanted to do something about our food.
PS
(We have been to over 192 farms in 30 countries, and we can honestly say. There are answers to grow safe produce - but I can say parts of my team changed their diet overnight because of some of the farms we've been too) Food Inc. is a good example (but does not even show the dirt on some farms in PRC)
Hello all!!!! Just landed (or almost) from Spain....Was wondering what conclusion the OP came to about where to buy veg/fruit, as I'm not too keen on contaminated stuff ;-) Guess we're spoilt in Spain
Cheers!
It's good to see spanish people believe in their fruits and vegetable, as the rest of Europe usually thinks of them as lower quality.
At least that has been my experience in 3 central european countries (ie. everyone there know spanish tomatoes or strawberries are cheap but don't do much more to your taste buds than plain water).
Answer depends on your budget. If unconstrained, then just buy in a supermarket from any location that is not China. If constrained, buy in a wet market and use your instincts. There are also companies that deliver HK-grown Organic veggies to your door, and a couple of farmers markets (on is in the Gold Coast, I would not call it extensive).
The mainland Chinese government and corporations don't give a s**t if you get cancer or grow two heads. The only thing important to them is making money at any cost. There are no strict regulations for organic produce on the Mainland. I would not buy anything from the mainland, including rice.