At a roundtable discussion, our CEO, Raphael Kennerknecht, recently joined industry representatives to discuss how organic farming can increase the value added by fruits and vegetables.
In doing so, he occasionally urged retailers to offer “B-grade” items such as limes and ginger exclusively as organic products or to price them the same as their conventional counterparts. After all, the price differences between organic and conventional versions of such products are negligible.
Using Spain as an example, he explained how production and packaging costs affect product availability: “In Spain, the amount of land devoted to organic farming is currently declining, and the prices paid for organic and conventional produce there are often no longer different. Manual packaging of organic tomatoes to differentiate them incurs additional costs, so that in the end, the organic farmer receives the same price as the conventional farmer.” Under such conditions, the EU’s 25% target is likely to be difficult to achieve.
Kennerknecht also emphasized the need for more consumer education and guidance: “Many consumers doubt whether products labeled ‘organic’ actually contain organic ingredients. We need to ensure greater credibility and raise consumer awareness of organic products. In England, organic is often associated with environmental protection. Perhaps that’s a way forward.”
We would like to thank Hedda Thielke and Bettina Röttig from Lebensmittel Praxis for inviting us to the roundtable and for their excellent moderation of the discussion. We would also like to thank Andrea and Janine Tonscheidt, the owners of the E-Center Angerbogen in Duisburg, where the discussion took place.
You can find the full article at this link: https://lebensmittelpraxis.de/sortiment/41766-lp-roundtable-ohne-politik-kein-wachstum-was-die-bio-branche-jetzt-braucht.html
Also available here as a PDF: Roundtable on Value Creation in Fruits and Vegetables Through Organic Farming
About Lehmann Natur
lehmann natur is an importer of organic, Demeter, Naturland, and permaculture-certified fruits and vegetables. Based in Meerbusch, the company has been committed since 1988 to enabling all consumers to enjoy healthy, flavorful, and organically grown natural products of the highest quality. To meet its high standards for quality and sustainability in logistics as well, the company operates its own organic packing facility in Korschenbroich. Working closely with organic farmers worldwide, lehmann natur designs professional, resilient, fair, and environmentally friendly supply chains that customers and producers can rely on.
Contact person:
Albana Caraj Lehmann Natur Gesellschaft zur Erzeugung und zum Vertrieb ökologischer Produkte mbH Otto-Hahn-Straße 10 40670 Meerbusch Email: presse@lehmann-natur.com Website: www.lehmann-natur.com