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In China, going organic is nothing new
China
Tuesday 04 September 2007
Organic farm manager Guo Changjun is just one such person. He believes that returning to traditional cultivation methods can provide a better future for the agricultural industry, a better environment for future generations, and a guarantee of safety for the coming Beijing Olympic Games.His organic farm, located near the Badaling section of the Great Wall, where the strong smell of manure is impossible to avoid, will supply 4.000 tons of vegetables to the Beijing Games.Only since the 1970s, when the artificial fertilizer industry began to develop in China, have more and more farmers shifted to chemicals which can help plants grow faster and bigger at lower costs.
But in recent years, the use of such chemicals has sparked many health and environmental concerns. "When people's living standards increase, they pay more attention to their health and prefer to pay more for organic vegetables," Guo said.
"Now even farmers try to avoid eating vegetables grown with chemicals," he pointed out. But returning to traditional methods comes at a cost. According to Guo, to maintain fertile soil and chemical-free planting, organic farms must invest four to five times more than others, meaning that the price of organic vegetables can be four or five times higher than regular ones. "We do organic farming not just because we are going to provide quality vegetables for the Olympics. It is the future of agriculture." He said that the farm never uses any chemicals. It only uses organic fertilizers authorized by the government as well as manure, slurry, worm castings, peat, seaweed, guano, compost and bone meal.
As modern organic farming involves a lot of modern techniques, Guo's farm has invited experts from the Beijing Academy of Agricultural Sciences to run workshops for local farmers to help them develop organic planting skills.
But in recent years, the use of such chemicals has sparked many health and environmental concerns. "When people's living standards increase, they pay more attention to their health and prefer to pay more for organic vegetables," Guo said.
"Now even farmers try to avoid eating vegetables grown with chemicals," he pointed out. But returning to traditional methods comes at a cost. According to Guo, to maintain fertile soil and chemical-free planting, organic farms must invest four to five times more than others, meaning that the price of organic vegetables can be four or five times higher than regular ones. "We do organic farming not just because we are going to provide quality vegetables for the Olympics. It is the future of agriculture." He said that the farm never uses any chemicals. It only uses organic fertilizers authorized by the government as well as manure, slurry, worm castings, peat, seaweed, guano, compost and bone meal.
As modern organic farming involves a lot of modern techniques, Guo's farm has invited experts from the Beijing Academy of Agricultural Sciences to run workshops for local farmers to help them develop organic planting skills.
