PRINCE WARNS OF RUSH TO PROFIT FROM ORGANIC GROWTH
PA 28.10.98 18:27
Copyright 1998 PA News. Copying, storing, redistribution,
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By Anjali Kwatra and Lucie Morris, PA News
Britain's blossoming organic farming industry has no room for the
"get rich quick" mentality of second-rate produce, the
Prince of Wales warned today.
The Prince, one of Britain's best known organic farmers was
honouring the best producers in London.
He fears some farmers may jump on the bandwagon purely to make a
fast buck.
"There is a real risk that the kind of success demonstrated
here today will attract people with the wrong motives and the
wrong values to take up organic farming.
"We must all be vigilant in protecting what has been
achieved, by ensuring that the organic sector has no room for the
get rich quick mentality, nor for second rate produce.
"It is vitally important to continue to say, with absolute
conviction, that organic farming delivers the highest quality,
best tasting food, produced without artificial chemicals or
genetic modification and with respect for animal welfare and the
environment."
"I hope that everyone concerned with organic produce will
recognise that the continued growth of this sector will depend on
maintaining the current high standards, no matter how great the
demand."
The Prince, whose own farm at Highgrove is organic, appeared
relaxed as he presented 23 awards for the nation's best organic
produce in front of an audience of 200 at the 1998 Soil
Association Organic Food Awards at the Savoy Hotel, London,
sponsored by the Mail on Sunday's You magazine.
The Prince also voiced his opposition to genetically modified
foods.
"Personally, I don't think it is right to tamper with the
building blocks of life. I also regard the technology as
unproven, with the potential to cause serious and possibly
irreversible damage to wildlife and the environment."
The Prince was presented with a hamper of organic foods by TV's
Two Fat Ladies, Clarissa Dickson Wright and Jennifer Paterson, of
whom the Prince declared he was a fan.
He defended the higher cost of organic produce, saying it was of
much better quality than normal produce.
"The price, of course, is generally higher but it should
come as no surprise that this does not provide a barrier to
sales.
"In every other area of our existence we accept that the
highest quality produce tends to cost more, whether we are
looking at hi-fi equipment, holidays, cars or clothes."
The Prince also spoke of the problem of finding enough British
suppliers of organic products.
"The demand for organic food is growing at a remarkable
rate. Consumers have made it clear that they want organic
produce...
"Indeed the current rate of growth of the market appears to
be limited only by the availability of supply.
"That's the problem. Between 60% and 70% of the organic
produce sold in this country is imported, and looks set to
continue to be so."
The awards, in their 12th year, were judged by leading food
writers, restaurateurs and chefs, including Nigel Slater, Sophie
Grigson and Raymond Blanc.
There were 603 entries for this year's awards - double last
year's total.
Winners were:
Dairy: Court Farm, Winford, Bristol - plain yoghurt.
Cheese: Abergavenny Fine Foods Ltd, Abergavenny - Pant-Ysgawn
organic Welsh goats cheese.
Fresh produce: Orgarden Produce, Yeovil - tomatoes, Gardener's
Delight.
Fresh meat: Larchfield Community (Camphill Village Trust),
Middlesbrough - rib rack of lamb.
Poultry: Graig Farm Organics, Llandrindod Wells - chicken.
Sausages: no award made.
Prepared meats: Belvoir Food Ltd, Coalville, Leics - hand-carved
organic ham roasted with organic honey.
Soya foods: Dragonfly Foods, Buckfastleigh, Devon - organic
natural tofu.
Convenience foods: Simply Organic, Glenrothes, Fife - creamy
mushroom fresh organic pasta sauce.
Bread: Hobbs House Bakery, Chipping Sodbury - 800g wholemeal
loaf.
Breakfast cereals: Infinity Foods Co-op, Portslade, East Sussex -
organic super muesli.
Cakes, pastries, biscuits and puddings: The Village Bakery,
Melmerby, Penrith - brownies.
Confectionery & snacks: Hampers Hampers, London - Jeannette's
Cinnamon Almonds.
Preserves, spreads & condiments: Aspall, Stowmarket, Suffolk
- Aspall Organic Cyder Vinegar.
Teas, coffees & beverages: Hampstead Tea & Coffee Company
Ltd, London - Demeter Darjeeling Tea Makaibari.
Non-alcoholic cold drinks: no award made.
Alcoholic drinks: H Weston & Sons Ltd, Ledbury, Herefordshire
- Westons Organic Cider.
Baby food: Organix Brands plc, Christchurch, Dorset - Baby pasta
- ABC spinach shapes.
Vegetable box schemes: producer-owned (local): Bridgefoot,
Newmachar, Aberdeenshire. Company operated (regional/national):
The Better Food Company Ltd., Barrow Gurney, Somerset.
New product award: Clipper Teas, Beaminster, Dorset - Clipper
Organic Freeze-Dried Instant Coffee.
Retailer of the year: Planet Organic, London.
Producer of the year: Higher Hacknell Farm, Burrington,
Umberleigh, Devon.
Supermarket of the year: Waitrose
1998 Organic trophy of the year: The Village Bakery, Penrith,
Cumbria