ORGANICS- Is it really worth it?
By Azra Secerbegovic
May 2013
Who is Azra Secerbegovic?
Why I got into organics?
• conventionally grown fresh produce.
• farming methods in conventional agriculture
• economic injustice that the growers suffered
in the hands of big export companies.
Organic market (1)
• The market research company Organic Monitor
estimated the global market for organic products in
2012 at almost US$63 billion or more than 45 billion
euros. This is NOT only fresh produce!!!
• The leading market is the United States with 21billion
euros.
• In Europe, where 21.5billion euros were spent,
Germany leads at 6.6billion euros, followed by France
(3.8billion euros). The countries with the highest
annual per capita spending were Switzerland and
Denmark with more than 160 euros.
Organic market (2)
Organic supply (1)
• Moving from consumers to producers
• 80 percent of a global farms that practice
organic methods are located in developing
countries.
• The countries with the most producers are
India (547’591), Uganda (188’625),
Mexico(169’570) and Tanzania (145’430).
• In Europe, Spain & Italy
When did it all start?
• The organic movement began in the mid1920s in Central Europe through the work of
Rudolf Steiner.
• He created biodynamic agriculture, an early
version of organic agriculture. The system was
based on Steiner's philosophy of
anthroposophy .
What is organic farming?
• Organic farming -techniques such as crop
rotation, green manure, compost and biological
pest control.
• Green house vs open field
• International Federation of Organic Agriculture
Movements (IFOAM), an international umbrella
organization for organic farming organizations
established in 1972.
So many certificates!!! So many
different organics!!!!
Organic Certification Organisations
• Skal is a private non profit foundation with a
public task as certification and inspection
body for the organic production. It is assigned
by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs,
Agriculture and Innovation.
Spain
• Comité Aragonés de Agricultura
Ecológica (CAAE)
• Edificio Centrorigen Ctra de Cogullada, 65
• Mercazaragoza
• 50014 Zaragoza
• Spain
• Government body
France/Belgium/Italy
• Ecocert is an inspection and certification body
established in France in 1991 by agronomists .
Strong in natural cosmetics.
The UK
• The Soil Association is a charity. Almost all
income is contributed by individual members
and supporters and institutions such as
charitable trusts and statutory bodies.
Is it better? Is it healthier?
•
The study in Brazil
•
The farms were located within 1.5 kilometres of each other and shared similar
natural environments.
•
Fruits from 30 plants in each farming system were sampled and analysed
•
Tomatoes grown on organic farms were 40 per cent smaller than those produced
conventionally.
•
However, their concentrations of vitamin C were up to 57 per cent higher, and ripe
fruits contained well over twice the quantity of phenolic compounds.
•
Plant phenols, such as flavonoids, are largely responsible for the health-giving
properties attributed to many fruits and vegetables.
•
They help the body fight oxidative stress - a form of chemical damage linked to
chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer and dementia.
Do you need to eat everything
organic?
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If you can afford, yes!!
Dairy products- MUST
Soft fruit
Carrots
Apples
Pears
Celery
Tomato
Cucumbers
Peppers
THIN SKIN VS THICK SKIN
Many thanks!