Volcano ash cloud and credit crunch give Wirral’s organic farms a boost

Apr 21 2010 by Jade Wright, Birkenhead News

ONCE upon a time, locally sourced organic food was the preserve of the rich. But now it seems the recession – and this week’s ash cloud – is changing all that.

The ash cloud that hovers stubbornly over the UK is stopping imports of fresh flowers, fruit and vegetables from across the globe. Suppliers are now having to look closer to home for fresh produce – meaning it’s out with African mange tout and in with British spring greens and new potatoes.

Similarly, as nitrogen fertilisers, used by conventional farms, increase in price, many organic foods now cost about the same as their conventional counterparts.

In fact, according to new data from the Organic Trade Board, a group of key British organic companies and organisations, staple organic foods like bread, milk and coffee are now cheaper.

At a time when every penny counts, it’s no surprise that more expensive foods are being culled from the average shopping list.

“We’re still getting our regulars in, despite the economic climate,” says Sally Bentley at Church Farm Organics in Thursaston.

“But the prices are similar now, so it’s not seen as a luxury.”