Organic food demand ‘growing'.

Press, 16 July 1987, Page 12

Organic food demand ‘growing'.

The demand for New Zealand organically grown produce is limited only by supply, according to the secretary of the Canterbury Organic Producers’ Group, Mr Jeremy Anderson. In what is seen as a world-wide trend towards natural foods, people are becoming more conscious of having residue-free produce with fewer additives. Higher prices for organically grown and processed food indicated the growing demand for organic food, said Mr Anderson. He said people were becoming more discerning about what they ate, and this was reflected in the move away from red

meat consumption. Mr Anderson said that surveys in overseas supermarkets had recognised the need for organic food. However, while New Zeland had exported organically produced meat and fruit on a small scale, the supply was limited, he said. “It has a lot of potential in New Zealand, which is already seen as a clean, healthy environment, and we could secure a good position on the international market” Organic food is grown and processed without the use of artificial chemicals or additives. Mr Anderson said the industry was now at a cross-roads.

“Does it stay small or

do we actively promote its growth?” One of the things which Mr Anderson sees as limiting the indusry’s growth is the lack of technical advisers. However the Biological Producers’ Council can give advice and has set up standards for farmers. It is affiliated to the International Federation or Organic Agriculture Movements. Mr Anderson said that New Zealand organic farmers had to join the Producers’ Council if they wished to use the Biogro trademark on their produce. Biogro and Demeter, which is allocated by the Biodynamic Association, are internationally recog-

nised trademarks available to organic produce growers. It usually takes a producer up to three years to be granted use of the trademark by inspectors. In March this year there were 106 growers certified to use the label, compared with 84 in September. This proved the industry was growing, said Mr Anderson. The Canterbury Organic Producers’ Group has also been steadily increasing in membership, and now includes 60 people. Mr Anderson said the group would hold its next conference at Lincoln College on July 25 and 26. The key speaker will be Dr Tony Haystead, from a

Ministry of Agriculture research centre near Hamilton. The other speakers will include Mr Bill Brandenburg, a well-known authority on horticulture and coppicing, Mr Bruce Champman, an entomologist at Lincoln College, and Mr Peter Buttle, a mixed sheep and cropping fanner involved in orangic production at Hororata. h Mr Anderson said he hoped the conference would attract about 100 people. Pre-enrolment is necessary and this can be done by contacting Mr Anderson, telephone 794100 (business) or 559-242 (home).