You are helping more than yourself, when you pick organic rice and different organic food. You are assisting organic basmati rice exporters, processors and farmers who strive to meet the guidelines and as they firmly believe in quality, growing sustainably, and good health. It takes a considerable measure and shows preemptive kindness.
What does organic mean?
Crops grown without persistent and toxic pesticides are known as organic products. These toxic pesticides can wind up in your food as well as in water and soil.
According to USDA, organic rice farming is described as the utilization of an arrangement of mechanical, cultural and biological practices that help the ecological balance, promote the rotation of on-farm resources and save biodiversity. These incorporate keeping up or improving water quality and soil and wild life; and evading utilization of genetic engineering and synthetic fertilizer.
Organic Rice Farming Practices
Soil Fertility
When crops are grown in good soil, they easily survive drought, tolerate insects and resist disease. Green or animal manures are added by organic basmati rice producers.
Planting and seeds
To protect the integrity of crops, organic rice farmers use organic seeds. However, according to USDA National Organic Program, when a similar organic variety seed is not commercially available, organic rice farmers may use conventionally grown seeds, provided they are not genetically modified or dealt with prohibited things.
Pest management in Organic rice production
Organic rice farms relies on 4 pest management strategies, prescribed by USDA. These are prevention, avoidance, monitoring and suspension. The first line of defense against diseases and pests are prevention and avoidance. Farmers frequently use physical and technical practices, for example layer of mulch is laid down to smoother weeds, if pest suppression becomes increasingly important. When all else has failed, naturally occurring microorganisms approved pesticide are used.
Organic rice crops integrity
It is very important for organic farmers or organic basmati rice exporters to prevent contact between conventionally and organic grown basmati or any variety of rice. Buffer zones such as hedgerows must be incorporated in organic farms to prevent accidental sprays of synthetic chemicals.
Organic basmati rice exporters and processors practices in Pakistan
According to USDA organic norms and standards, organic rice millers and exporters in Pakistan must use a minimum of 95 percent of certified organic ingredients. Though no ingredients may use GMO’s or genetically modified organisms.
Mixing
Organic Basmati rice exporters and processors must preserve the integrity of organic ingredients. which are as follows:
- Prevent mixing of conventional basmati or long grain rice throughout processing. Conventional rice shouldn’t be preferred in an organic basmati rice processing facility for export or local market.
- Sanitize and clean rice processing equipment with approved materials prescribed by certifying agents, when changing from conventional basmati rice to organic basmati rice.
Managing pests
Similar to pest management on organic basmati rice farms, organic basmati rice processing facility must lay stress on prevention rather than on treatment.