Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

AALP Class 14 International Study Tour - Friday March 1, 2013

Another bright,sunny day today in Delhi. AALP Class 14 has really enjoyed their trip to India but many are looking forward to heading back home to family & friends. A trip to the food market is first order of the day. First impression was primitive & more garbage laying around. Hira Singh Wholesale Vegetable Market is one of four fruit & vegetable markets in Delhi. After going through the tight security at the Ontario Food Terminal, Toronto & Hunts Point Food Market in New York, the lack of security was quite evident. Quite the contrast to our North American tours considering the security we had to go thru to check in at a local hotel or mall in India. Plus the hygiene conditions amplified the contrast between North America & India. Monkeys & cows were roaming around randomly. A few booths were burning incense to either keep the bugs away or make a sacrifice to their god of food safety. Majority of the produce came from within India. We did see a lot of apples from China & the state of Washington, US and kiwi from Italy. Booth space is purchased through the association. The location was allocated by the government as a food market after the previous location was deemed unsuitable for the fruit & vegetable market.

There were only men around the market doing the trading & wholesaling. Wives were at home tending to the home duties. The market is divided into two sections - one for fruit & one for vegetables. An example of pricing, we found that one kilogram of basil was 120 rupees or approximately $2.40.

Our next stop was one of the largest spice markets in India. After the bustle of the street we stepped into a spice and tea shop where we were greeted with a piece of cinnamon - a great ant-acid. Too bad we didn't have that earlier on the trip. India is the world's largest grower of many spices but due to consumption, they are also a huge importer of spices. One note of interest was residents of India generally buy spices individually and make their own blends. The owner of the shop also educated us on tea. There are four different times for harvesting tea each year with different results. Different flavours. Different maturity. Smaller (early in the growing season) is higher content & sweeter. As the season progresses, the tea becomes more bitter and less valued. Spring; summer; monsoon; and fall/autumn are the four seasons or times of harvest.

According to the shop owner, Orange Pekoe is a marketing gimmick for Darjeeling tea that is no longer relevant. White tea is the most beneficial in the world. Highest level of antioxidants. 4-500kg of white tea produced each year.

Before heading back to the hotel we were treated to a show by a snake charmer with a few of Class 14 getting involved. Afterwards a few classmates got henna tattooed on their hands.

Upon returning to the hotel, we got packed & ready for dinner at Park Baluci. Our final dinner in India where we thanked our guide, Harsh, for his advice and hospitality over the past 11 days.

For those who are planning on a trip to India, Harsh says if you plan to drive in India you need 3 things:

1) good brakes

2) good horn

3) good luck

And we would like to add that a good ‘little guy’ is also a ‘must have’ to successfully navigate the hustle and bustle of Indian traffic.

Now, on to the flight home.

Wayne Black, Wes Weins, Christina Mol - AALP Class 14 bloggers

Views: 165

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Governments Of Canada and Manitoba Investing More Than $6 Million to Grow Local Food Processing Economy and Support Jobs

The governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing more than $6 million to help grow the economy by increasing food production facilities and supporting jobs across Manitoba under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced here today. “When we invest in food processors, we’re helping them grow, stay competitive and ensure they can keep putting their high-quality food on tables here in Canada and around the world,” said MacDonald. “These projects will help build a stronger, more resilient food system while supporting good jobs in the process.” A total of 19 food processors in Manitoba have been approved for funding for equipment upgrades, facility expansions, and new technologies that will improve efficiency, production capacity and environmental performance. “These investments support our economy, strengthen our communities and ensure susta

Governments of Canada and Manitoba Announce Support for Livestock Producers Affected by Drought Conditions

The governments of Canada and Manitoba are announcing support measures to aid Manitoba’s livestock producers affected by drought conditions, federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced today. Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC) will provide support measures through its AgriInsurance program, improving cash flow for livestock producers needing to secure additional feed. “Our livestock producers play a critical role in our food supply and our economy. We need to do everything we can to support them, especially in the face of these dry conditions,” said MacDonald. “These program changes will ensure producers in Manitoba receive claim payouts faster, so they can source other feed options as quickly as possible.” For claim calculation purposes, MASC will be applying a quality adjustment factor to reduce yield appraisals by 40 per cent for drought-stricken cereal crops (all varieties of wheat, oats, bar

Government Fulfills $2 Million Commitment to Food Banks of Saskatchewan

As announced in the 2025-26 Provincial Budget, the Government of Saskatchewan is providing $1 million to Food Banks of Saskatchewan in August 2025 to distribute to agencies across the province. "This funding fulfills our government's commitment to provide $2 million over two years to help Saskatchewan families and food banks with rising food costs," Social Services Minister Terry Jenson said. "By partnering with Food Banks of Saskatchewan once again this year, we are providing additional support to communities across our province." The $2 million commitment was first announced in July 2024, with the first $1 million installment provided to Food Banks of Saskatchewan in August 2024. The Ministry of Social Services will work with Food Banks of Saskatchewan to distribute the second $1 million installment in August 2025 to agencies based on the population and average food bank usage of the communities they serve. "Saskatchewan Food Banks are experiencing an unprecedented year of dema

Register for Keep it Clean’s webinar on pre-harvest tips to produce market-ready crops

Keep it Clean will host a webinar on Wednesday, July 30 at 11 a.m. CDT to inform Canadian growers, agronomists and retailers of key on-farm practices to avoid unacceptable product residues and answer any questions to help protect the marketability of Canada’s canola, cereal and pulse crops. Registration for the webinar, which will include a live Q&A with experts, is now open. The webinar will dive into key practices, including how to properly stage crops for pre-harvest glyphosate application, why it’s essential to follow pre-harvest intervals (PHIs) and how to scout effectively for disease. “Applying a product like pre-harvest glyphosate for weed control too early can lead to unacceptable residues in harvested grain, putting market access at risk,” says Krista Zuzak, Director, Crop Protection and Production at Cereals Canada. “Following label directions - like waiting until grain moisture is below 30 per cent in the least mature part of the field - helps prevent residue issues

iTradeNetwork Webinar – Register Now

The Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC), the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA), and the Association des producteurs maraîchers du Québec (APMQ) have been working with iTradeNetwork to schedule a series of webinars for growers.

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service