The Journey of CUMBAM Valley, Tamil Nadu, ODC3 Moringa Value-Added Products to USA

The USA, being the top buyer in the international moringa products market, focuses on the quality of processed moringa products, more particularly MLT, MLP, MSP, and this ODC 3 moringa cultivated in cumbum valley started yielding leaf biomass and being processed now into Moringa leaf tea (MLT) first and MSP & MLP next.

The Agricultural and Processed food products export development authority (APDEA) - hints on the shiny dark green color of moringa leaf as a mark of rich phytonutrients and buyers market always pay premium price to quality moringa products in the international nutraceutical market. The quality is indicated by the richness of color of dried moringa leaves and ODC 3 moringa leaves preserve dark green color, texture and quality denoting higher amount of mineral nutrients, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.

The superfood value is decided by the amount of antioxidants available in any plants and ODC 3 moringa is an unique farmer variety that contains highest level of antioxidants and it has an extraordinary blending ability to mix with other medicinal herbs so that varieties of processed moringa products like moringa chocolate, moringa energy bar, moringa super cubes, etc. are made.

The moringa variety ODC 3, being cultivated at cumbum valley in TN, has caught the attention of global buyers and US business men have already started placing supply order for various, Moringa health supplements  with the owner of this organic ODC 3 moringa farm Shri Ranjithkumar. Being a versatile plant, ODC 3 moringa produces exceedingly more quantity of dark green leaf biomass and fresh leaves obtained from multiple pruning amounts to 5 MT. This gives out 1 MT of dry matter weight and upon processing produces 800 kgs of fine MLP and 200 kgs of Moringa Tea powder (MTP).

MLP and MTP alone sells @ $15000 (INR 11 lac). Since there is a huge demand for organic ODC 3 moringa seeds across the world, the seeds alone sells @ $125-150 per kg and even 200 kgs of seeds per acre fetches $25000 (INR 18.25 lac)

If not for seeds, the kernels are processed in corn flour and black pepper powder and sold as moringa kernel snack (MKF).This moringa kernel fry is a trusted source of immunity booster and testosterone multiplier.

One acre can produce minimum 25,00,000 seeds and 100 nos MKF pack sells @ $1 and 25 lac kernel earns $25,000 (INR 18.25 lac)

Information Courtesy: RAMU THAMPALAYA GOWDER, Assistant Director of Agriculture at Department of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu.