Our quest to find the best organic moringa possible took us to several continents and various countries during 2024, including an separate trip to Egypt, South Africa, East Africa, South-East Africa, as well as the traditional moringa origins – India and Sri Lanka. We focused on inspecting producers and their ability to grow and produce the cleanest, organic moringa in pristine areas free from contaminants.
Wherever we saw potential with a producer we assisted with advice, coaching and tips; to help each producer improve both growing and processing of organic moringa leaves.
Why Moringa? The Superfood Powerhouse
Moringa is a superfood that is gaining popularity in Europe at a rapid rate. Known for its detoxifying properties and extensive health benefits, it is rich in calcium, iron, and vitamin C and supports various bodily functions by:
- Regulating blood sugar levels
- Boosting metabolism
- Detoxifying the liver
- Promoting hair growth and skin health
- Enhancing digestion and gut health
- Strengthening the immune system
Moringa acts as a natural detoxifier by absorbing toxins from the human body, however, these same properties make it crucial to source moringa from areas free from environmental contaminants as the growing plant naturally absorbs any pollution, pesticides, and exhaust from the surrounding environment.
The Miracle Tree and Its Unique Growth Patterns
Moringa trees are known for their resilience and rapid growth. Originating in India, it grows abundantly along roadsides, farms, and plantations. Farmers there have incorporated moringa into their daily lives for centuries, using its leaves, seeds, and branches for food and Ayurvedic medicine.
One of the most fascinating aspects of moringa is its ability to regrow quickly after harvest. The tree can be cut back almost entirely, leaving only the main stem, yet it will sprout new branches in record time. This allows commercial growers to harvest moringa about four times a year, making it a sustainable and highly productive crop.
However, young moringa seedlings are fragile. They require the right balance of water—too much or too little can cause them to wilt, but once the tree matures it becomes resilient, making it an ideal crop for commercial farming.
The Challenges of Sourcing Moringa
Despite its abundant growth, finding high-quality, uncontaminated moringa is not as simple as it seems. Sourcing challenges vary by region:
India: A Complex Certification System
India has been a key player in moringa production, but growing is often fragmented among smallholder farmers, creating issues in standardisation and quality control. Additionally, India’s organic certification system is notoriously fragile. The National Program for Organic Production (NPOP), implemented and supervised by the Agricultural and Processed Food Product Export Development Authority (APEDA), frequently suspends certifying bodies due to irregularities, which immediately hurts the compliant farmer groups under the same certifier, without these complying farmer groups having done anything wrong.
This makes sourcing organic moringa from India a constantly shifting challenge.
Therefore, we have two large-scale plantations in India that provide controlled and consistent quality. With these plantations our goal is to have structured management, proper irrigation, and reliable certification processes, ensuring a stable supply of premium moringa.
East Africa: Partnering in Progression
We are partnering with a moringa farm near the River Nile that is well managed and making an impact in sustainable farming. We are actively working together with local certification bodies to develop buffer zones and implement strategies to prevent contamination from surrounding sugar cane plantations, Our goal is to ensure that this farm meets the highest organic standards so that their premium organic moringa can enter the international market.
A Remote Success Story
Further East, we discovered a large plantation situated in a remote area surrounded by a game reserve. The isolation ensures minimal environmental contamination, making it an excellent location for organic moringa cultivation. While the growing here is definitely amongst the most professional and committed we have seen, some challenges in the processing remained and we helped to address these during our on-site visit. The dedicated team there is committed to maintaining the highest standards, and we are excited about the potential of this partnership.
South East Africa: Emerging Moringa Hubs
This region has been blessed with vast, fertile lands suitable for moringa cultivation, and have already been operating successfully for many years; however large parts of this region do not follow strict and formal organic growing practices. In another and much more secluded area (a return trip to the plantation takes about 4 days with a single-propeller airplane and an offroad car!), we have been receiving superb, organically grown moringa powder. Quantities are still small, but growing thanks to our consistent purchases.
South Africa: Untapped Potential
South Africa has multiple organic moringa producers, and we were fortunate to connect with some of the most passionate growers in the region. One standout producer near the northern border has been growing moringa for decades. Initially used for feeding livestock, the benefits of moringa became evident when farmers noticed increased milk production and improved health in their animals.
This was indeed one of the most remarkable encounters as this grower had also been using moringa for personal health for years. Following EU organic growing practices but not having access to international markets, we are now assisting this grower in establishing export logistics, securing certifications, and bringing their high-quality moringa to Europe.
Our Commitment: Beyond Sourcing, Building Sustainable Partnerships
At Abbott Blackstone International, our approach to sourcing goes beyond simply purchasing moringa from suppliers. Unlike traditional importers who seek the lowest price and maintain a distant relationship with growers, we take a hands-on approach where we:
- Visit farms in person to ensure quality and sustainability
- Work directly with farmers to improve organic growing practices
- Assist in certification and export logistics
- Help farmers navigate challenges such as contamination and certification hurdles
By acting as a communication bridge between European standards and local producers, we ensure that moringa is cultivated, processed, and shipped with the highest level of integrity. Our mission is to deliver pure, premium organic moringa from the field to our customers while supporting sustainable agriculture and ethical business practices.
