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EU: AIR TRANSPORT MAY DISQUALIFY AFRICA'S ORGANIC EXPORTS
(English IPS News Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)
YORK, England, Sep. 21, 2007 (IPS/GIN) -- The newly launched
East Africa Organic Standard could fall at the first hurdle if the
largest licensing body in the U.K. decides in November that
air-freighted produce no longer qualifies as organic.
The organic standard was designed to boost exports to Europe.
African farmers have been highly critical of the U.K. Soil
Association's controversial consultation on air miles, which may
eventually lead the association to refuse to endorse products
imported by plane. Despite the fact that less than 1 percent of all
U.K. food comes by air, campaigners have said air travel is
responsible for 11 percent of carbon emissions and is therefore at
odds with organic principles.
Soon-to-be-published research commissioned by the United
Nation's International Trade Center, which has been outspoken in
its opposition to the Soil Association's position, will reveal that
as many as 15,000 people in Kenya and Ghana -- the largest
exporters to the U.K. -- would suffer hits to their livelihoods if
the produce is disqualified. The figure is based on research
carried out among five organic exporters, their workers and
dependents.
"These exporters are tearing their hair out," said Alexander
Kasterine, senior market development advisor for the International
Trade Center. "It's created a lot of uncertainty and is deterring
new entrants to the market. One exporter told us they'd followed
the Soil Association guidelines for the last five years. They'd
invested in training and bought processing machinery. Now the Soil
Association may turn round and say, 'You can't use our logo.'"
While the Soil Association is only one of half a dozen such
agencies in the U.K., it's responsible for certifying more than 70
percent of retail organic produce, making it the best-known brand
with consumers and the one most sought after by exporters. Its
decision will send a strong message to certification agencies not
only in the U.K., but across Europe. Among them, Naturland in
Germany is considering a similar gold-plating of its standards.
Kasterine said the Soil Association has the wrong target. "There
are much bigger contributors to climate change than air freight --
for example energy intensive U.K. agriculture," he said.
"If you're an African farmer living on 3 percent of Lord
Melchett's income, you might wonder why he is cutting off your
market in the name of reducing climate change," he said. Lord
Melchett is the policy director of the Soil Association.
African growers, who have taken advantage of the $40 billion
global market in organics, have benefited considerably from premium
prices and a healthier environment brought about by the greening
of agricultural practices, somewhat ironically driven by the very
agencies that are now questioning the ethics of importing produce.
Uganda, one of the first signatories to the new East Africa
Standard, saw overseas sales boosted 61 percent between 2003 and
2004 and latest figures put the state's total organic exports at
$6.2 million.
Neil Sorensen, communications manager for the International
Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements, which also represents
the Soil Association, said that although developing local African
markets is important for the long-term viability of farmers in the
sector, "you can't begrudge them when they are offered way more
money to export their product to Europe. To deprive them of that
development is not appropriate."
Amarjit Sahota, director of London-based market analysts Organic
Monitor, said the Soil Association is in danger of scoring a goal
against itself.
"From a consumer's point of view, if they cannot find an organic
pineapple, they will just go back to conventional. In theory, what
the Soil Association is doing is correct, but the reality is
slightly different," he said.
According to the latest research, 83 percent of organic fruit
and vegetables sold in the U.K. is imported from the least
developed or poorer developing countries. Exotic fruits make up
almost half of all organic fresh produce bought by British
consumers. Most organic pineapples and mangos come from Africa.
The East Africa Organic Standard covers produce from Tanzania,
Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda. It is the first of three
standards to be developed by the International Federation of
Organic Agricultural Movements, which is also working on regional
standards for West Africa and the South Pacific.
Cooperation between leaders of the East African states, which
together represent 600,000 hectares of organic cultivation, has
been vital to making the standard possible, said Sorensen, who
added that others may soon join. "There are a lot of really good
organic products in other East Africa countries. We are working
where it is most feasible," Sorensen said.
While the standard is said to be built on a newly revised EU
minimum for organic certification, which would in theory guarantee
access to the European market, it is unclear when, or indeed if,
Brussels will grant it equivalent status.
"We are aware and supportive of the launch of this cooperation
on standards between East African countries, but we have not
studied the content of these standards, and there have been no
activities so far in establishing or even studying the possibility
of equivalence between them and the current or future EU-regulatory
framework," a European Commission spokesman said.
But it does at least free farmers from having to rely on
expensive European agencies to audit production.
"It's absurd to have to pay for English people to fly to Kenya
to get certified," said Sorensen. "Farmers wanted to establish
their own infrastructure and regulation and make it a more economic
scheme that they can manage, without having to rely on agencies
like the Soil Association. It can only be beneficial for the market
in Africa and in general."
According to the Organic Monitor, there are more than 400
national and private organic standards competing on the world
market. "The big issue is incompatibility with the [American] and
EU regulations," Organic Monitor's Sahota said.
"Many producers who have certified according to the [U.S.
agricultural] standard are not recognized in Europe and vice-versa.
These are the two major standards, but there are still
incompatibilities. They have been talking about harmonization for
years, but it's going to take a few more, if ever, before they
reach agreement," he said.
Meanwhile, more and more Africans are themselves choosing
organic produce over conventionally grown produce. "Local
consumption is growing in Uganda and Kenya, with farmers' markets
and stores, such as the Nogamu shop in Kampala," Sorensen said.
"It's a misnomer that it's only the rich who buy organic products.
Whether it's Uganda or the U.K., people are primarily purchasing
organic for health reasons."
Sales through the Nogamu outlet, which is supplied by 100 groups
of small farmers, have increased steadily from $1,142 a month in
2002 to $2,571 a month today, and more are opening, said Derrick
Tenywa, local marketing officer for the Ugandan Organic
Agricultural Movement.
He welcomed the new East African standard. "It makes work easier
for producers targeting both the regional market and other markets.
If organic standards are introduced in Kenyan supermarkets, and in
Uganda or Tanzania, we can exchange what each one does not
produce."
Copyright 2007 Global Information Network
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