• Better taste - Organic food tastes better; this is the simple message given by many people who eat organic.
  
• Healthier -Organic foods have far less residues of pesticides, growth promoters and antibiotics. It has been shown in a number of studies that organic food contains more vitamins, nutrients and cancer-fighting antioxidants than non-organic food.
  
• Animal friendly - Organic farming places great emphasis on animal welfare and is more animal friendly, where animals are not treated with synthetic growth hormones or drugs.
  
• GMO free - Genetically Modified Organisms are not allowed in organic agriculture.
  
• Fair Play - By avoiding expensive inputs of agrochemicals, organic farmers can manage to reduce production costs and get out of the debt trap. Fair prices additionally can enable farmers to get reasonable returns for their efforts. }
  
• More sustainable - Organic production aims, at all times towards sustainability while having best management of the environment and wildlife as a priority. This implies a sustainable management of natural resources; soil water and bio diversity. Organic systems are less dependent on non-renewable resources.
  
• Traditions meeting Science - Organic systems rely on a modern and scientific understanding of ecology and soil science, while also integrating traditional agricultural knowledge.

source: http://www.indocert.org/abt_organic.htm

Replying to [curdrice]:

I agree that people do choose organic food based on these reasons.

In contrast, people do not choose organic food because:

1. "Organic Logo" does not translate it is 100% organic. Simply put, some manufacturers mixed organic with in-organic food together and market it as organic. Some consumers are sceptical.

2. Price: Until now I am still not buying organic food because it is soooooooo..... expensive. In Japan, organic products are for affluent family. Most middle class family will not be able to afford it and moreover, under this weird Japanese economy, housewives usually save on food expense and spend on luxury products like cosmetics. Until the maket put the price of organic at an acceptable price then we can start talking....... fyi, it can be done since TESCO or Iceland has done it years ago.

3. Land resources: Organic food is wasteful of land resources, and it takes longer to produce one batch of vegetable than intensive farming. Therefore, higher price and low supply.

4. Quality: Organic maynot be a better quality than intensive farming. There are just marketing scheme. Quality depends on the farmers' technique together with other factors as well. An amateur famer grow his produce organically does not have a better quality crop than one from an intensive farming. It also does not mean "healthier" too since avg lifespan has increased before organic food becomes popular.


Anyway, I would very much like to eat 100% organic food too. I just hope that manufacturers and businessmen are more honest and the price are more acceptable for consumer.

I myself am turning into organic business since I believe organic food has a huge potential in Japan.

Replying to [Thomas1976]:  Dear Tom, very insightful post. I only aware of the price of organic food.

Thanks,

Moolan

Quoting from [Thomas1976]:
I have gone through your view.

 I am  saying the facts prevailing allover the world:

Further I inform I am a farmer with a "organic certification" from our Agricultural university: I am a practical farmer with results and facts;


Replying to [curdrice]:


I agree that people do choose organic food based on these reasons.


In contrast, people do not choose organic food because:


1. "Organic Logo" does not translate it is 100% organic. Simply put, some manufacturers mixed organic with in-organic food together and market it as organic. Some consumers are sceptical.Organic certification is not easy to get: After consecutive years of organic farming minimum 3 years,it is possible to get the certificate: It is offecnce to put the Organic certificate on the NON-organic: there may be small frauds, all over the world: but the consumer aware which is original and duplciate:


2. Price: Until now I am still not buying organic food because it is soooooooo..... expensive. In Japan, organic products are for affluent family. Most middle class family will not be able to afford it and moreover, under this weird Japanese economy, housewives usually save on food expense and spend on luxury products like cosmetics. Until the maket put the price of organic at an acceptable price then we can start talking....... fyi, it can be done since TESCO or Iceland has done it years ago. if a kilo vegetable is USD 1., the organic vegitable is USD 1.75

spending 0.75 cents save  100 USD medical expenses: It will be known in long run: Not in a day or two


3. Land resources: Organic food is wasteful of land resources, and it takes longer to produce one batch of vegetable than intensive farming. Therefore, higher price and low supply.

Organic forming give high yeilds with natural mannures,cow-dung, vermi & etc

It will be costlier only who switch over from Nor-organic to Organic farming:


4. Quality: Organic maynot be a better quality than intensive farming. There are just marketing scheme. Quality depends on the farmers' technique together with other factors as well. An amateur famer grow his produce organically does not have a better quality crop than one from an intensive farming. It also does not mean "healthier" too since avg lifespan has increased before organic food becomes popular.

    The organic products very good, high nutrient content, tasty and rich compareing with that of chemical/pesticided products

   

     The production is more than the chemical farming


Anyway, I would very much like to eat 100% organic food too. I just hope that manufacturers and businessmen are more honest and the price are more acceptable for consumer.


I myself am turning into organic business since I believe organic food has a huge potential in Japan.

Replying to [curdrice]:

I must admit I am not a farmer but your answer to 3 do raise some more questions.

3. If organic farm production yield is high, the switch over cost will not be a factor because the hi-price and hi-demand will cover any setup cost. So, why then famers are not switching quickly? I know I will since the potential is so great.

Furthermore, why am I getting excuse from supermaket saleman claiming that the price is higher because it takes longer and more money to grow 1 hectare of crop?

Replying to [curdrice]:

Hi Arthanari,

Great list! You only forgot to mention another great advantage of "organic" food: its nutrients are much easier to assimilate by the body than those from "not-organic" produce.

In reply to Thomas' observations I have this to say: as "organic" is such a big market now in some countries, major corporations have managed to "water down" the requisites for the "organic" certification, wanting to participate. That's one of the reasons why consumers are getting a little nervous and distrustful.

Regarding the use of more land for "organic" cultures, that's a myth spread by their enemies. A clever farmer who knows all the "ins and outs" of organic farming can sometimes produce even more on the same lot of land then before. It requires a lot of knowledge, planning and time, but there are quite a few testimonies of success. If I find them, I'll post them.

So what's the main reason for so little growth of "organic" farming as a new way of farming (relatively speaking)? It's lack of knowledge, disinformation, cleverly disguised obstacles placed by those "mega corporations", etc., etc., but not lack of soundness of the concept.

Germex

Replying to [germex]:

ic. thank you for the information

Replying to [curdrice]: When I see the word "organic" I imagine a con. I would rather buy an unlabelled product than one which claims to be "organic", "fair trade" or whatever, yet is actually produced with no regard for the environment or for people.

I have yet to see, for example, an apple that is not organic. In English organic used to just mean something derived from a living organism as opposed to say a plastic toy which is inorganic or not organic. It is only recently that it has become a poorly defined buzz word. The word is now being used by the same people who view chemicals as bad for no other reason than it is fashionable to do so rather than because of any intelligent understanding of what a chemical is.

Quoting from [Thomas1976]:  Pl see the reply in Blue


I must admit I am not a farmer but your answer to 3 do raise some more questions.Please see my answer below


3. If organic farm production yield is high, the switch over cost will not be a factor because the hi-price and hi-demand will cover any setup cost. So, why then famers are not switching quickly? I know I will since the potential is so great.

In Our region most of the farmers are changeing: Even the agricultural university and department now-a-days recommending "ORGANIC FARMING" This is the fact. 


But  I donot know about your country and people


Chemical fertilsers are ready to use: Like a readmade shirt or T shirt

But organic farming.. we have to make the in puts ..like vermiculture, panchakavya( insecticide), etc: all are not yet available in the market for ready use: Due to the modernisation, there is no OX for ploughing: Tractors are dominated: so there is scarecity for natural manure like cowdung etc:


Furthermore, why am I getting excuse from supermaket saleman claiming that the price is higher because it takes longer and more money to grow 1 hectare of crop?

Replying to [curdrice]:
Hi,
I am a Biodynamic Grower so good to see this posted. We do all of this an more if the entire planet was growing this way we probably would have no illness no destruction of ecological systems and we would all be a more caring of dear mother earth. especially now so it would be good to see others become aware of there responsibilities here. It would do alot to heal the planet.

Replying to [Thomas1976]:
I have been in the organic industry for over 30 years, before certification to protect buyers in knowing if it really is organic or better still biodynamic. So to be sure buy only certified products from certified growers. It is Jas in your country.
Organic growers are not wasteful on land resources quite the opposite. As land well managed can grow twice the amount of food and continue doing so forever. whereas chemically induced growing will produce dead land in 10 to 15 years with no value of food for consumption.
Why do you think there has been such an explosion in serious diseases in cancer diabetes etc not to mention obscene weight gain in the west. The body is not getting the sustenance it requires so people unconsiously eat more and more.
The cost in reality taking all of these factors into consideration is far less, even though the cost of the food is more. For a start you do not need as much of it, second you are honoring the land and protecting it from chemical pollution which leads to sick land sick plants and animals and thus sick people who need more drugs to counter the other ones till you are in hospital for some even more serious problem.
If more were buying it and supporting these caretakers of the land costs would be less all round.
Any way the bottom line if you do not have your health and vitality then you have nothing at all.
Look at what is happening to the planet at present. the result of all of this, is through wrong practice.
It is time people became really aware and money should be the last consideration, as if the majority of people on this planet do not fundamentally shift here, there will be not many left and money non existant. with out a healthy planet and all in it it can not evolve.