One thing I have noticed in the last few years in most grocery store produce departments is the growth of "Organic " sections along with higher prices vs. big ag produce.
Sure, the big ag factory farm tomatoes are bigger, redder, and perfectly formed, and cheaper. The Romaine lettuce is tall and green and cut just right. The bell peppers come in beautiful colors of red, green, yellow, and orange.
But they seem to blow the taste test against organically grown produce. Even the spotted, warped, undersized, or otherwise blemished fruits and vegetables taste richer and provide more vitamins and vital nutrients.
One reason factory farm produce looks so perfect is because of the immense scale of production that allows for harvesting only the very best to sell to picky grocery store chains and leave the rest. And a lot of artificial fertilizers.
The Society of Andrew, an organization that works to relieve hunger, has estimated 20 million pounds of fresh produce are picked after harvest by their volunteers each year in America alone and distributed to food banks and low income communities.
Small rural Organic farms cannot afford to be that wasteful and there are only an estimated 16,500 of them in the US, representing some 2.27 million acres total (statista.com) vs 253 million acres of commercial farms in operation.
But commercial farms are about to take a hit.
Since 2016 fertilizer prices have skyrocketed and with the recent war in Ukraine have jumped another 125% year/year. And it going to get worse right at prime planting season in the northern Hemisphere.
China used to supply the world market of phosphates (24%), nitrogen (13%), and Potash (2%) but has stopped exporting any of it.
Russia supplies the world market with potassium (41%) and urea (14%). But Putin is expected to sign off on a ban on the export of both as part of counter-sanctions legislation from the Duma.
And most other countries that have supplied the balance are beginning to hoard their own.
Without adequate amounts of fertilizers, big ag will not be able to produce as much and the quality will plummet.
At some point, the two will pass each other. Organic will become cheaper with the expansion of more acres in production with medium sized commercial operations switching to organic methods and big ag struggling with lower yields and poorer quality.
If you are thinking about starting a garden or small farming operation, it would be wise to begin with quality organic soils and supplements, rather than poison your growing medium with the artificial chemicals of big ag fertilizers.
The floor is open.
Watcha got?