Organic or hydroponic?

Organic or hydroponic?

People who want to buy organic vegetables should be careful as
they might mistakenly pick up hydroponic ones, which are widely
available here.

"I thought that they are organic vegetables. But I don't mind
as I believe that these vegetables are healthy enough," said
Maria, a resident of Kebayoran Lama in South Jakarta when
shopping at Ratu Plaza's Carrefour on Tuesday.

It is not only Maria who mistakenly thought that hydroponic
vegetables were the same as organic vegetables.

A number of employees at the fruit and vegetable division in
several outlets pointed at the hydroponic vegetables when asked
about organic vegetables.

While organic vegetables ares planted without using pesticides
and other chemical fertilizers, hydroponic vegetable still uses
chemical fertilizers to help it grow well.

Although some producers of hydroponic vegetables claimed in
the package that their products are pesticides free, Fetri
Mayandi of the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) warned
that chemical fertilizers contains pesticides and lead.

"Therefore, if the plants still use chemical fertilizer, their
products are not totally pesticide free," Fetri told The Jakarta
Post on Tuesday.

Unlike organic vegetables, hydroponic vegetables are available
in many supermarkets like Hero, Sogo, Carrefour, Alfa, Ranch
Market and Kem Chicks. While organic vegetables are only sold at
Ranch Market Pondok Indah, South Jakarta.

The hydroponic vegetables are sold under various brand names
like Amazing Farm, Smart Farm, Winz Farm, Aeroponic Vegetable and
Kapri Farm. -- JP