Friday, August 08, 2008 Prices of organic products higher than non-organic: exec By Joy Romares-Sevilla
THE chair of the Consumer Action for Sustainable and Healthy (Cash) Lifestyle Network, a network of enlightened consumers, said prices of organic products, which the group pushes to produce, are 10 percent higher than the non-organic products present in the market today.
Cesar Ledesma, Cash Lifestyle Network chair, said this will encourage and entice farmers and producers to plant organic products such as fruits and vegetables since farmers can get back satisfactory income.
"Cash Network offers products that are naturally-grown. These are already available. They may not be available in bigger quantity, but they are already there," Ledesma said.
He added that the network is encouraging those who are committed to promote and practice a healthy, sustainable, and environment-friendly lifestyle to be members of the network.
He further said that Cash Lifestyle Network will have a booth during the Kadayawan Festival in which organic products such as organic rice, bottled organic coconut sugar, and herbs are available.
Based on their observation, he said there are a lot of people in Davao City who want to eat organically produced products, but they just do not know where to get them.
"With Cash Lifestyle Network, we can somehow make solutions to the problems today. The network has a core group which is made up of about 20 representatives from the business sector, non-government organizations (NGOs), farmers, producers, and government agencies," Ledesma said.
To be a member of the network, one must have to pay P100 for the application fee. Students, on the other hand, are exempted. A member must also have to pay an annual fee depending on their income.
The Cash Lifestyle program, launched at the SM Event Centre on Wednesday, is supported by the regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
