Organic boom is unsustainable
9 February 2001
‘Organic boom is unsustainable’
By Andrew Swallow
BOOMING sales of organic produce are unsustainable and UK government growth targets for the sector unrealistic, claims a farm researcher.
But growers should at least consider taking advantage of the surge in interest by putting a block of land into conversion, says Alistair Leake.
Mr Leake, manager of the Focus on Farming Practice project at Stoughton, Leicestershire, acknowledged that the organic market is growing at 40% a year
But everybody knows growth rates like that are unsustainable in the long term, he told a recent arable conference held by Irish advisory service Teagasc.
The whole movement is skating on thin ice with public perceptions of what organic produce delivers being far removed from reality, added Mr Leake.
Organics potential to deliver perceived benefits has been over-stated.
All studies have failed to prove it is better for you and whether it tastes better is doubtful. That concerns me, said Mr Leake.
If you are going to persuade consumers to pay twice the price for something you must either convince them it is substantially better or that the alternative will kill them.
Government targets that 30% of UK farming should be organic by 2010 are also unrealistic, he said.
An awful lot of subsidy will have to be paid if that is going to be achieved, because I do not believe that is going to be achieved by market forces.
He said in Austria 10% of farmers went organic in response to substantial subsidies. But that over-supplied their market and 2% reverted to conventional farming.
And Denmark is experiencing oversupply problems in organic milk, he added.
But as only 18% of land in organic conversion in the UK is registered for arable cropping, a shortage of raw materials for organic feeds is probable and prices will remain firm, at least for a few years, said Mr Leake.
With organic feed wheat worth 180-220/t growers should at least consider putting a block of their farm into conversion, he suggested.