That's an interesting, but childish viewpoint. Ironically, it is standard agriculture -- and high efficiency -- which has allowed economies to be wealthy enough to afford organic agriculture. Further, fields of "organic" produce are only viable on a continuing basis if they are interspersed with other fields which serve as barriers to insect and disease.
Put another way, if I release a swarm of locusts into a large area (or country) which is entirely grown using organic methods, insects will move uninterrupted from field to field. In fact, you don't have to try this anew, there are plenty of examples already in history of mass famines.
My other question is..."How do you eat a 'clean, green' pea if a bug has gotten to it before you?" Also, if commodity prices have fallen a great deal (80 percent?)due to the Asian crisis, what level of inflation might be created given a recovery in demand, if one starts from a higher base for each unit of production?
Finally, organic agriculture is not a viable solution for poorer countries, since they barely have the resources to grow any crops, let alone afford more inputs.
(Your quoted story)
Go green, organic growers say, and be the envy of the world
Clean, green: organic peas on their way to market.
(text from same)
...It was possible for a whole country, or area, to be totally
organic if it had the support of research. Denmark was
considering turning its agricultural production to organics,
he said...
(text from same)
...On average organic produce was selling at 25 per cent
above market rates for conventional produce, and for short
periods in new markets as much as 50 per cent... |
