AuroOrchard goes fully organic

In October 2012 AuroOrchard converted to organic farming all of its central area of about 20 acres, where food for the community is cultivated: vegetables as well as the fruits like papayas, limes, avocados, coconuts, guavas, lemons, ramphal and some mangos. Its free-range eggs are also produced inside this zone. However, the surrounding mango and cashew orchard area of approximately 25 acres continued to be leased to an outside contractor (with some control on types of pesticides used) as the area was too large for the limited farm team and there was no scope to consume all these fruits in Auroville.

From the beginning of this year, with a new contractor, the conversion to organic cultivation of all mango and cashew orchards has started, a process that normally takes 3 years for full conversion. Soil, leaves and fruits samples have been sent for lab testing to know the levels of residual chemicals from past sprays, to know the degree of conversion achieved in this first season.