Mouthing Off | Why Hong Kong’s organic food labelling system has a big problem
With no concrete rules or oversight, goods displaying organic labels in Hong Kong may not be that at all. One organisation wants to fix that
Can anyone really tell what is organic or not organic in Hong Kong?
In the markets, I have seen veggies with a pen-written sign proclaiming their greens are “organic”. In the supermarket, there is fruit in cellophane wrap with generic “organic” stickers without any certification or proof. Can I truly trust the vendor? Is it really organic or just hyperbolic marketing?
To be clear, I am normally not that health-conscious. When I shop, I usually look more at the price. I would rather buy two apples for HK$10 (US$1.30) than one single organic Red Delicious for HK$15.
But others are more careful about what they consume. These shoppers deserve real assurance, not Russian-roulette “organic” designations.
The problem is, there is no definitive arbiter of organic food matters in Hong Kong.
Well, there is one guy. A couple of weeks ago, I attended a talk by Dr Jonathan Wong Woon-chung, professor and head of the biology department at Hong Kong Baptist University. He is also director of the Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre (HKORC). This independent organisation reviews production and source standards. If its benchmarks are met, it provides a certificate to local farmers and food producers giving them a proper accredited organic thumbs-up.
