GEORGE TOWN: The next time you spot flies buzzing around a pile of durians, don’t be alarmed, as they may actually be organically grown.
Organic farmer Sock Kim Chuah, 65, said flies and other insects are highly sensitive to the presence of pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilisers.
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“Only natural compost and pest control methods can be used and this can attract more insects like flies, but their presence does not mean the fruit is unsafe.
“They are considered healthier and more environmentally friendly if grown according to certified organic standards,” she said at her farm in Machang Bubuk yesterday.
Sock began farming in 2008 and grows many crops including durian, coconut, jackfruit, lime, turmeric, bunga kantan, avocado, dragon fruit, lemon, calamansi and arugula.
She said obtaining organic certification was not difficult but maintaining a chemical-free farm was a major challenge.
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“We must meet several key requirements by the Agriculture Department across all production stages.
“New farms must undergo a transition, typically two years for short-term crops, during which organic practices are adopted and residues tested.
“We are also required to have a compost to produce natural fertiliser through the decomposition of organic matter.
“Without the use of any chemical pesticides, we must rely on natural repellents,” she said.
Sock said due to the additional effort involved in organic farming, organically grown fruits often command higher prices.
“Some organically grown fruits can fetch up to twice the price of non-organic fruits.”
Organic shop owner Sam Lim, 43, said if a product is labelled and certified to be organic, it is likely to be the real deal here.
“All farmers supplying to my store are certified and authorities have been stringent in enforcing proper organic product declarations.
“I have ensured that the farms supplying to me are properly certified and the information is validated with the Agriculture Department.
“Authorities are very strict about organic labels and even the Health Ministry conducts inspections at organic shops by collecting vegetable samples for lab tests. They come about twice a year and their checks are thorough,” he said.
However, Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) senior education officer NV Subbarow advised the public to be careful when buying food labelled as “organic”.
“Many farmers claim to grow vegetables that are chemical-free but that term can be misleading, because there’s no regulation behind the claim, while organic has legal meaning,” he added.
Subbarow urged consumers to check product labels for official certification logos to be sure they are organic food.
