FOOD
‘Safe Food’
Market Gains Fans Chemical-free fruits and vegetables attract health-conscious consumers
Packages of chilli on sale at the market
By NYEIN NYEIN / YANGON
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the pioneering merchants bringing organically produced food into the fold. Dagon International, which has been using organic farming methods and cultivating chemical-free crops on some 100 acres of land since 2011, supplies hotel restaurants in Naypyitaw, but those who shop at the Yangon market get a better bargain. U Zaw Min Tun said clients in the capital pay about double for the fresh, local products. All the farms in the Safe Foods network are regularly inspected to ensure that they are chemical-free and produce natural foods through sustainable practices. The MFVA can “guarantee the safety” of all of the market’s foodstuffs, according to secretary U San Lin. “It’s not that the vegetables sold here are one hundred percent organic,” he said, “but what we recommend here is safe food.” Unfortunately, he added, the 33
ALL PHOTOS NYEIN NYEIN / THE IRRAWADDY
nly a few shops are open in Bahan Township’s unusual bazaar at 6:45 am on a Saturday, when a onceweekly market offers a rare selection of fruits and vegetables for customers concerned with food hygiene and safety. The “Safe Food from Safe Farms” market is an initiative of the Myanmar Fruits, Flowers and Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association (MFVA) to ensure access to clean, natural and delicious produce. The market’s dozen or so vendors don banners showing where their farms are located: Naypyitaw; Hlegu, Bago Region; Nyaung Htone, Ayeyarwady Region; Aung Pan, Pindaya and Ywar Ngan in Shan State. U Zaw Min Tun, the manager of an organic farm in Naypyitaw owned by the Dagon International company, said that while the new market isn’t yet making much profit, he’s glad to be among
A shopper checks out the fresh produce at the Saturday ‘Safe Food’ market. May 2015
farms in the network are not yet ready to mass produce organic foods, but they will be in time. Organic agriculture requires pure soil, seeds and water sources, which poses problems for many farmers in Myanmar whose lands are near industrial sites. “Even if the farmers don’t use chemicals, they can be affected,” U San Lin said. The MFVA has been providing technical support since 2010 for farmers who want to go natural, but they still have a long way to go bef0re they can produce certifiable organic produce. In the last two months, the Safe Foods market has gained in popularity. “I am careful about eating healthy food,” said Daw Thwin, 67, who takes a daily walk in Bahan and shops at the market every Saturday. “We are reluctant to buy fruits at regular markets out of fear of chemicals, but here we don’t have to worry.” Food safety has always been an issue in Myanmar, but consumers often have little choice when it comes to safe food at reasonable prices. Media attention to excessive chemical use has also helped make the public aware of health risks associated with certain foods. As Daw Thwin hung around waiting for more shops to open, she had just one suggestion for making the market more successful. “It could open earlier for the many people who get up and do exercise at Kandawgyi Park,” she recommended. Vendors said the city traffic slows things down, but they hope to be able to meet consumers’ needs. The market is open every Saturday at Myay Padethar Kyun, near the Garden Mart and Education Center in Bahan Township. TheIrrawaddy
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