Saving money on produce

Between 2012 and 2016, spending on organic fruit and vege soared from $4 million a year to $25 million.

Companies must be able to back claims their goods are organic but there’s no mandatory standard. Instead, producers can opt to have their fruit and veges certified by 1 of 4 organic certification schemes.

If there’s no certification label on the produce, there’s no guarantee what you’re buying has been grown to organic standards. To become certified, growers must farm according to animal welfare and environmental rules, such as avoiding synthetic fertilisers and pesticides.

Organic farming has a much smaller environmental impact. But what about the health and nutrition benefits of organics?

A frequently cited 2012 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine concluded eating organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but found the limited research available lacked strong evidence that organic foods were significantly more nutritious.

Subsequent studies have suggested organic crops may have lower cadmium content due to differences in fertiliser use. A 2014 review in the British Journal of Nutrition reported organic milk had higher levels of omega 3 than conventional milk, although iodine and selenium concentrations were lower.

But debate continues about the overall health benefits of eating organic compared with conventional produce.

A 2016 European Parliament report found few studies had looked at the effects of organic foods on human health and the evidence available wasn’t conclusive. However, the report did conclude organic farming’s restrictive use of antibiotics could minimise the risk of antibiotic resistance, with “potentially considerable benefits for human health”.

Growing your own fresh produce can save money. But it will cost you in time.

The Koanga Institute, based in Wairoa, has run a 200m² urban garden since 2013. It measures the time and money spent on the garden as well as the value of the yield. Institute co-founder Kay Baxter says it estimates a 40m² garden can produce more than $2000 worth of vege a year. Ms Baxter recommends starting off with herbs and greens if you’re a new grower.

Gardening NZ editor Jo McCarroll said its study of fruit tree growing found you could save thousands growing your own fruit and berries, but you needed to be committed for the long haul. It estimated that over 20 years you could save $1272 with an apple tree, $664 with a peach tree and $5120 with a raspberry bush.