The latest episode of Satyamev Jayate beautifully captures all that Pro Nature has been trying to tell the world since its inception! You don’t believe us when we tell you that pesticides have horrific long term effects, but you believe it because Amir Khan said so. Jokes apart, the issues talked about in the programs have serious ramifications on the world we live in now and hope to live in the future.
Yes, the manufacturers of pesticides and chemicals are misleading the farmers by trapping them in the vicious cycle of chemical use on their fields. Yes, the government policies are not encouraging farmers to go organic. But the higher injustice happens when a farmer goes the extra mile to challenge the norm; he goes organic and we as consumers do not appreciate that.
It takes a healthy dose of courage for a farmer to convert to organic practice, especially if he aims to get his produce certified organic. There is a gestation period of about 3 years before he can start selling as a certified organic producer. And in that time frame he invests labour, money and more importantly hope to nurture his field for a better tomorrow.
But you mar his dreams and disparage his effort because you think organic "is so expensive" and you’d rather spend an upward of Rs. 18,000 for the latest smartphone, because “it is so worth it”! Have you once thought how far the ripples of that decision go?
Think of a situation when you slog it off for a project in your office and you boss still promotes the guy who never forgets the boss’ birthday and sometimes even does his laundry. What do you do? You either quit or become unproductive. You have done exactly the same thing to the farmer. You have not appreciated all that he did, for your health, and not incentivized him to keep going at it.
In the absence of a demand in the market, the farmer is forced to sell his produce in a regular mundi and cannot claim the premium he deserves. The premium, companies like us will pay him for his efforts, on your behalf. But you are convinced that we are conning you off your money. Here are the reasons why organic products that are retailed are expensive as of now. However, if you trust in the mechanism of economies of scale, the price differential will come down with the increase in the demand for organic.
You want better health, a better environment, more diversity, for yourself and your children. But the minute you put that packet of organic food product back in the shelf you reduce the chance of achieving that by half.
Yes, the manufacturers of pesticides and chemicals are misleading the farmers by trapping them in the vicious cycle of chemical use on their fields. Yes, the government policies are not encouraging farmers to go organic. But the higher injustice happens when a farmer goes the extra mile to challenge the norm; he goes organic and we as consumers do not appreciate that.
It takes a healthy dose of courage for a farmer to convert to organic practice, especially if he aims to get his produce certified organic. There is a gestation period of about 3 years before he can start selling as a certified organic producer. And in that time frame he invests labour, money and more importantly hope to nurture his field for a better tomorrow.
But you mar his dreams and disparage his effort because you think organic "is so expensive" and you’d rather spend an upward of Rs. 18,000 for the latest smartphone, because “it is so worth it”! Have you once thought how far the ripples of that decision go?
Think of a situation when you slog it off for a project in your office and you boss still promotes the guy who never forgets the boss’ birthday and sometimes even does his laundry. What do you do? You either quit or become unproductive. You have done exactly the same thing to the farmer. You have not appreciated all that he did, for your health, and not incentivized him to keep going at it.
In the absence of a demand in the market, the farmer is forced to sell his produce in a regular mundi and cannot claim the premium he deserves. The premium, companies like us will pay him for his efforts, on your behalf. But you are convinced that we are conning you off your money. Here are the reasons why organic products that are retailed are expensive as of now. However, if you trust in the mechanism of economies of scale, the price differential will come down with the increase in the demand for organic.
You want better health, a better environment, more diversity, for yourself and your children. But the minute you put that packet of organic food product back in the shelf you reduce the chance of achieving that by half.
