Crisp Veggies (photo by jeltovski, courtesy of morguefile.com)

Organic food commands a premium price and it seems increasing numbers of people are willing to pay it. The Organic Trade Association’s 2007 Manufacturer Survey indicates that U.S. organic food sales totaled $16.9 billion in 2006; representing 3% of all retail sales of food and beverages. Sales in 2006 grew an impressive 22% over the figure of $13.8 billion for 2005.

At present there’s concern that while a prosperous elite gets to enjoy produce free of pesticides, people of more modest means find their budgets most suited to less healthy, highly processed foods. Another concern has been that converting land cultivated with industrial chemicals to organic farming lowers the crop yield in a world concerned with feeding the hungry. But, the continuing growth of the organic food market could lead to greater affordability for all and big environmental benefits to boot.

An article in USA Today provides some positive news in the face of the concerns,

Researchers in Denmark found, however, that there would not be any serious negative effect on food security for sub-Saharan Africa if 50% of agricultural land in the food exporting regions of Europe and North America were converted to organic by 2020.

While total food production would drop, the amount per crop would be much less than previously assumed, and the drop in world food prices that resulted could be mitigated by improvements in the land and other benefits, the study found.

A similar conversion to organic farming in sub-Saharan Africa could help the region's hungry because it could reduce their need to import food, Niels Halberg, a senior scientist at the Danish Research Center for Organic Food and Farming, told the U.N. conference on "Organic Agriculture and Food Security."

Farmers who go back to using traditional agricultural methods would not have to spend money on expensive chemicals and would grow more diverse crops that are more sustainable, the report said. In addition, if their food is certified organic, farmers could export any surpluses, bringing in cash since organic food has such premium prices.

To read the full article in USA Today go to: Researchers: Organic push won't hurt world food supply