PraTithi Organic Foods, Fair Trade Farming Partner

April 25, 2024

In 2005, our founders learned of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a set of practices and principles that enable even the poorest farmers to improve their yields just by changing how they manage their plants, soil, water, and nutrients. Farmers can double and triple their harvests using up to 50 percent less water, 90 percent less seed, and no agrochemicals, with less work for women, who generally bear the brunt of the hardest labor of rice farming. Since 2008, we have worked to develop supply chains with marginalized rice farmers — who previously never had access to global markets — by offering organic and fair-trade premiums as incentives for farmers to adopt an organic version of SRI. We call this organic version of SRI, More Crop Per Drop® (MCPD®)

PraTithi Organic Foods, a pioneer and leading champion of organic farming in India, partners with small and marginal farmers, preserving traditional knowledge and local crop varieties with eco-friendly techniques, like the SRI/MCPD® to produce the best yields and quality. Farmers producing heirloom Basmati rice for Lotus Foods qualified for Regenerative Organic Certified®/Silver in 2020. In 2023 Lotus Foods celebrated its Basmati Rice for becoming the 6th product worldwide to meet the rigorous standards required to certify as ROC® Gold, making Lotus Foods Basmati Rice the first and only ROC® Gold rice.

“We are so proud of the entire team at PraTithi Organic Foods,” says Caryl Levine, Lotus Foods co-founder. “Their farm families demonstrate that implementing more sustainable rice-growing practices that are inherently regenerative like the System of Rice Intensification, which we call More Crop Per Drop®, can be a win-win-win situation. Farmers improve their yields and profitability, while also improving their soils, and reducing greenhouse gas emission.”

 
PraTithi Organic Foods Founder, Director, and CEO, Mr. Tapan Ray, plays a pivotal role in the trajectory of growth in this sustainable agri-business industry, with his sheer determination, dynamism, and leadership. With more than 25 years of experience in organic farming and Fair Trade practices, he aims to make India one of the major destinations in the world for sourcing organic raw materials.

Tapan Ray has played a pivotal role in the sustainable agri-business industry in India.

PraTithi Organic Foods support the farmers around the world and bring their authentic quality organic products to global consumers by following fair, ethical and sustainable path in the entire supply chain from farm to consumers.
 
Mr. Tapan Ray stated “It has required years of our concerted efforts of PraTithi’s team and its farmers to achieve this great feat. We are very thankful to Ken & Caryl who have been our continuous support and great motivation to continue the ROA/ROC program with our great focus. As we have achieved GOLD now, we will always try to excel in this field and maintain the expectations of all including the ROA team as well as our partner Lotus Foods, consumers and our farmers.”

In the below Ellen MacArthur Foundation video, PraTithi CEO Tapan Ray also added, "We have to be very very careful how we produce rice because with the usage of pesticide chemical fertilizers water depletion yield is declining, our soil is dying."

In preparation for World Fair Trade Day on May 11, 2024 we wanted to highlight our farming partner PraTithi Organic Food and stress the importance of using Fair Trade practices. Our Regenerative Organic Basmati Rice are both certified though the Fair Trade Sustainability Alliance (FairTSA) where "Fair Trade is about so much more than price: stable relationships between buyers and farmers, engagement in problem solving, and Community Development Projects. With our program the whole community engages and benefits."

In the Fair World Project article, Changing How Rice Is Grown Around The World, Lotus Foods' Co-Founder Caryl Levine stated:

"Lotus Foods is proud to be a leader in working with families that have embraced SRI and in raising awareness about the social and environmental consequences of rice production. With climate change, and the high cost of inputs and credit, most smallholder rice farmers are barely able to make ends meet. But with the combination of higher yields from SRI and organic and fair trade premiums, we are helping the farmers from whom we source our rice to stay together, farm together, and improve their quality of life. We are hopeful that as more consumers become aware of these issues, they will request – even demand – that more vendors provide rice grown using this women-, water- and climate-smart method."

"Fairtrade believes the role of women in agriculture needs more visibility, recognition and value, and that gender equity is important to social sustainability."

At Lotus Foods, we're proud to promote organic and regenerative farming practices that restore natural resources and slow climate change. Our Fair Trade premiums improve incomes and the resilience of rural communities; and we strive to make healthy rice-based products more accessible and enable more farmers to benefit. Farmers are able to improve their yields and profitability, while also improving their soils, and reducing greenhouse gas emission.

We’ve dedicated our business to improving the lives and communities of small family farmers, as well as the health of our shared environment, by partnering with them in fair trade to preserve local biodiversity and grow rice more sustainably. Fair trade fosters an equitable and sustainable global system of production and trade. Fair trade premiums are helping farmers stay together, farm together, and improve their quality of life.

Lotus Foods has always paid our small family farmers premium prices for their highest quality, highest nutrition heirloom rice which means that, by choosing Lotus Foods, you’re helping transform lives and communities.

PraTithi is committed to organic food excellence, and we're delighted to say that both of our Regenerative Organic Basmati Rice varieties have achieved all of the following qualifications and certifications:

About Lotus Foods

Since 1995, Lotus Foods has partnered in direct and fair trade with small family farmers around the world who are growing rice more sustainably while preserving rice biodiversity. Lotus Foods’ product line includes pigmented heirloom and organic rice varieties such as Forbidden Rice®, Jade Pearl Rice™, Red Rice, traditional Basmati and Jasmine Rice and Tricolor Blend Rice as well as Rice Ramen, Pad Thai Rice Noodles and Rice Ramen Noodle Soup Cups. Products are available at major retailers nationwide. As a certified B Corporation, Lotus Foods is committed to “Changing How Rice Is Grown Around the World” by focusing on rice grown using the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), which we call More Crop Per Drop®. SRI minimizes water usage, empowers women, financially rewards farmers and reduces climate impact. As a business co-founded and co-owned by an Asian American, and with a global supply network encompassing family farmers throughout Asia, Lotus Foods stands with the AAPI community and condemns racial violence.