The One-Straw Revolution - Multiworld India

The other farmers in my neighborhood realize that they are workingvery hard only to end up with nothing in their pockets. The feeling isgrowing that there is nothing strange about growing natural foodproducts, and the producers are ready for a change to farming withoutchemicals. But until natural food can be distributed locally, the averagefarmer will worry about not having a market in which to sell his produce.As for the consumer, the common belief has been that natural foodshould be expensive. If it is not expensive, people suspect that it is notnatural food. One retailer remarked to me that no one would buy naturalproduce unless it is priced high.I still feel that natural food should be sold more cheaply than anyother. Several years ago I was asked to send the honey gathered in thecitrus orchard and the eggs laid by the hens on the mountain to a naturalfood store in Tokyo. When I found out that the merchant was sellingthem at extravagant prices, I was furious. I knew that a merchant whowould take advantage of his customers in that way would also mix myrice with other rice to increase the weight, and that it, too, would reachthe consumer at an unfair price. I immediately stopped all shipments tothat store.If a high price is charged for natural food, it means that the merchantis taking excessive profits. Furthermore, if natural foods are expensive,they become luxury foods and only rich people are able to afford them.If natural food is to become widely popular, it must be availablelocally at a reasonable price. If the consumer will only adjust to the ideathat low prices do not mean that the food is not natural, then everyonewill begin thinking in the right direction.91