Farm fresh

AROMATIC BREW: The moment you entered the stall, you could smell coffee. Sniffing our way around, we landed at the Coffee Board of India stall that was busy brewing pots of filter coffee. While many cups flew, what caught our nose8217;s attention were various beans on display. Culled from different parts of the country, it was worthwhile to take in the filtering aromas. If you are a coffee fan though, the Coffee Board has put up a brew on sale for Rs 55 for 200 gms. Worth it.

FOREIGN FLAVOURS: Did you know that gherkins, a pickled small cucumber mostly used in sandwiches and burgers worldwide are no longer an imported delicacy. 8220;While initially gherkins were cultivated in Southern Germany and Hungary, we have now been able to grow them in India where the climate and the monsoon rains create an ideal setting for growing gherkins all year round,8221; mentioned Vineet Chhabra, managing director and group CEO of The Global Green Company who we met up at fair at his company8217;s stall. Lined on the shelves behind him were bottled cherries, gherkins, silver skin onions, jalapenos and even red peppers. 8220;We are a seed to shelf company with global imports,8221; mentioned Chhabra. In India, the preserved vegetables and fruits are available on shelves under a premium brand called 8216;Tify8217;s8217;. 8220;With the Indian palate now going global, we see huge potential for Western condiments,8221; remarked the CEO who was magnanimous with tasting sessions for all those who walked in. Also finding place in the food expo are global brands like Del Monte juices and fruits as well as Canadian chain Mc Cain with its aloo-tikkis!

PACKET DEALS: From exotic mushrooms to chip 8216;n8217; dips, ready-to-eat meals to flavoursome spreads the Agro Tech Fair is tucking all this in various corners of the expo. First up is Mrs Bector8217;s 8216;Cremica8217; which is out with its dishy new lineup of dips and bread spreads. 8220;Also new is our Chataka sauce series which brings in regional flavours such as Pudina, Imli, Mirchi and Imli-Saunth,8221; informed Prabhbir Singh of Cremica. Elsewhere, the stall by Himalaya International Limited spread out their wares which including Buffalo milk mozzarella bites and varieties of mushrooms. 8220;We are exporting mushrooms worldwide but have now started to cater to the Indian market as well,8221; informed one of the company8217;s representative B P Chaudhry. Speaking of innovative meals, the Markfed stall offers a variety of ready to eat products ranging from farm fresh saag to dal makhani to even kadhi! Then there8217;s Verka dishing out new products such as Dhodha, Kaju Barfi and even Soan Papdi.

EXOTICA ON YOUR PLATE: Plump tomatoes, healthy bell peppers, delicate and delicious sweet baby corn, tempting red and green hot chillies8230;not from South-East Asia, but our own farms of Solan, Karnal and surrounding areas of Chandigarh! And what8217;s best each of these vegetables is grown according to the need of the consumer. For instance, the three kinds of tomatoes may look similar, but their texture, firmness8230;it all differs. 8220;Some are for purees, others for concentrates, sauces. The chillies too are for pickles, for dry use, masalas,8221; explains the representative of Sygenta. A Swiss company, Sygenta helps farmers to adopt newer ways of agricultural production and through research and development meet changing needs of markets, a fine example being all these exotic veggies being grown in our conditions. The company also has for domestic use, WHO approved insecticides, which work on banishing house flies, cockroaches, mosquitoes et al for as long as six months. The USP of most foreign companies launching their products in India is food that8217;s high on health and taste. For instance, CLIC International, a Canada-based company, which is into world food has 1,200 food products from all over the world 8212; Mediterranean, Middle-East, South-Asia and South America. Sliced sweet pimentos, exotic oils, hot cherry peppers, haricots, barley with veggies, instant falafel, pre-cooked wild rice, chickpeas, beans, organic salad mixes8230;Right next door, the students of Thapar University, part of the Science 038; Technology Entrepreneurs8217; Park, on campus, along with Anmol Soy Foods, are exploring Soy Shakti and will soon launch first in Patiala soy paneer in various flavours and also soy milk in strawberry, badam versions. Egg powders, high-calcium and protein powders for pregnant women and the elderly, low-fat dairy products like white butter, oil just for frying8230;it8217;s a spread.