ABSTRACT
In 2011, the Indian state made it mandatory that all processed food products should bear marks to indicate whether products are vegetarian (green) or non-vegetarian (brown) and with the rise of consumer culture in super/hypermarkets, these logos are ubiquitous on packaging throughout India. While the concept of ahimsa (non-injury to all living creatures) is central to Hinduism and Hindu vegetarianism is explored in a large literature, there is no corresponding exploration of how “green” and “brown” production is managed in contemporary India. What is more, India is a major exporter of meat and water buffalo beef in particular. Based on fieldwork in India, this article explores how manufacturing companies understand and manage “green” and “brown” standards. I argue that while existing studies of vegetarianism overwhelmingly explore micro-social aspects such as the everyday consumption among Hindu groups, “the bigger institutional picture” that frames such consumption, production and regulation is not well understood. This chapter asks and answers this research question: how is modern green/brown production managed in contemporary India? Based on ethnographic fieldwork in South India, the last part of the chapter explores green/brown regulation and management in manufacturing companies in India. I conclude that management based on regulation is essential to green, green/brown and brown production in India.
