A vibrant but fledgling industry
People who lived through that era still recall the freshness of the vegetables brought into the house from the gardens for cooking at meal times.
Eggs from free range hens were also collected daily in farm yards, and when a pig was killed pork steak and puddings were not alone produced for the household but for the neighbours as well.
But then rural and other lifestyles changed. Potatoes and carrots were no longer grown to the extent that they were in the past. And the shelves of supermarkets were stocked with convenience products, many of them imported. People even lost their taste for those wonderful natural foods that their families once produced.
Yet, small numbers of dedicated people continued with the old fashioned practices and have now provided a firm foundation on which a vibrant organic farming sector can be built.
There is even evidence of a growing return to appreciating traditional values and methods with two in five shoppers claiming in a study by Amarach Consulting that they prefer foods that are grown in a natural fashion. Other results from the study, presented to last week’s All Ireland Organics Conference in Carrick on Shannon, Co Leitrim, were also encouraging.
These showed that those surveyed had a positive and largely accurate understanding of organic food products, with 80% believing they are free from chemical and pesticides and are therefore healthier for their families.
Growing concern among consumers about health and well being, and worries about food safety and quality are driving the renewed interest in organic food.
Yet, the organic sector in Ireland, with its advantages in climate and soil for grass-based products such as beef and lamb, is still very small in relation to agriculture as a whole.
There are just over 1,100 organic operators here out of some 135,000 farmers. Over 37,000 hectares of land is under organic production methods, which is less than 1% of agricultural land.
The main barriers to the sector’s growth are seen as the high cost of establishing enterprises, access to education and training and the need to improve marketing and distribution.
But some positive signs are emerging slowly.
Last year, there was an increase of 15% on the land area in organic production, albeit from a very low base. And the organic bodies are reporting growing interest among farmers, reflected in the number of inquiries they get. Bord Bia, with the help of €1.5 million in Department of Agriculture and Food funding, has now developed a marketing plan in consultation with the Organic Market Development Group for the development of the sector over a three-year period.
Supports are also in place for organic farmers and processors. From next year it will also be possible for organic farmers to obtain organic support payments without having to be in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme.
This is designed to encourage small-scale horticultural producers to convert to organic production, and conventional tillage producers to convert part or even all of their holdings.
Bord Bia research also indicates that the €66 million a year consumer spend on certified organic food products here is set to grow significantly over the next five years. Over 60% of organic products are purchased in multiple supermarkets, 22% in symbol retail outlets and the remaining 16% through ‘direct organic sellers’ such as farmers markets, farm shops, health food stores, box schemes and butchers.
However, only 40% of consumers agree that it is easy to find locally produced organic food. It is clear that shoppers generally expect a choice of organic product and continuity of supply on the market, all the year round if possible.
The research also underlines the need to encourage more Irish farmers to make a significant contribution to increasing market share for organic produce. Organic farming is not an option that will suit every farmer, but there is obviously great scope for growth.
Most of the organic produce sold in Ireland, for instance, is imported, while the €2.4 billion market in Britain has vast export potential for producers here.
