MPs to cast doubt on organics
24 January 2001
MPs to cast doubt on organics
By Donald MacPhail
A CROSS-PARTY group of MPs is expected to deliver a mixed report on the organic sector in a report to be published on Wednesday (24 January) afternoon.
The Agriculture committee will deliver its appraisal after spending six months sifting through the evidence from 70 memoranda and five oral sessions.
Its findings come in a week when the high-flying sectors confidence was dented with news that frozen food chain Iceland is to downscale its organic range.
Poor figures over the past six months were blamed on the failure of a bold initiative to introduce large organic ranges at average prices.
But sector regulators the Soil Association claimed Iceland had not researched its market, and said organics continued to enjoy 40% annual growth.
The committees report comes weeks after the Governments Organic Farming Scheme reopened after being fully subscribed with months last year.
Already applications for 3 million of the 13m available have been submitted, and critics say the stop-go funding disrupts farmers conversion plans.
Benefits of organic food have come under scrutiny in recent months after Food Standards Agency head Sir John Krebs said the sector relied on image.
He claimed there was no evidence that organic food was healthier or safer than conventionally grown produce.
In evidence to the committee, junior farm minister Elliot Morley said the sector had to emphasise environmental benefits over controversial nutritional claims.
“There is very clear scientific evidence on the environmental side, but there is no clear scientific evidence on the nutritional side,” he told the committee.
To address this, there have been calls for an organic stewardship scheme to be included in a 2003 Government review.
Around 3% of UK farmland is cultivated organically, and the market is expected to break through the 1bn mark by 2002.