Living / Last week, I bought an organic Eureka lemon from Safeway and I saved 31 cents. The cost for a conventional lemon: $1.50; the cost for the organic lemon: $1.19. The conventional lemon was a bit larger, but I still considered it a small victory, because it’s such a rare occurrence.

With the rising cost of oil and corn, those small victories may become more frequent. It’s not something to celebrate, for many in our islands can’t afford the luxury of paying higher prices, but according to one local economist, the price differential may soon shrink.

“Organic farmers’ prices are high because of labor,” says Dr. Linda Cox, economic development specialist for the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. “The making of the compost, the spreading of the compost tea, hand-weeding–because they aren’t using (synthetic) fertilizers, those are labor costs. … Depending on their inputs, organic will probably be bit a less (at the checkout line) because farmers are less dependent upon fossil fuels.”

The rising cost of fossil fuels has made its mark on Hawai’i’s food supply. Due to the high cost of importing fertilizer and feed, the many local suppliers have gone out of business. Richard Ha, owner of the Mauna Kea Banana Co. on the Big Island, thought he too, would be a casualty rising costs. Earlier this month, he announced he would close after more than 30 years in business. But he found a way, for now, to downsize and operate the farm at half-capacity. No more apple bananas, but his Williams line will continue operations.

“With agriculture, most of the inputs have to do with oil, from the fertilizer to running the equipment. Even the packaging,” Ha says. “But on top of that, they started doing ethanol, which increased fertilizer usage and pushed the fertilizer prices up.”

Twenty years ago, 100 percent of milk in the state was produced locally. Now, only two dairies remain, and all their milk is consumed on the Big Island. On O’ahu, all our milk comes from the mainland. According to the Department of Agriculture, 90 percent of our beef, 80 percent of our milk, 65 percent of our vegetables and 68 percent of our fruits are all imported.

In addition to record oil prices, the cost of grain reached record highs earlier this month. It is not only going to cost more to get the goods to Hawai’i, it’s going to cost more to produce those goods. For decades, our food prices have been fueled by cheap oil and cheap grain, namely corn. The price of corn affects the price of many consumables. Corn is omnipresent in America. It’s in the batteries that sit in your remote control, it’s in food additives of every imaginable form and it’s the grain fed to industrial cattle, poultry and pigs.

“I don’t see how (the rise in prices) can be avoided, because all of our inputs are going to be more expensive,” Cox says. “I don’t know if the percentages are going to be equal across the board, but I don’t see how it can be avoided.”

This may, make the prices for local organic produce more competitive. Eating locally has become something of a mantra for many–if not for reducing carbon miles, for keeping their monies in their local economy and supporting local growers. But to try and eat well for the planet, that is, organically and locally, is complex and historically expensive in Hawai’i. To do so, it takes a change in mindset and goes against our love of a bargain. For of all the places we Americans cut back, it’s in the grocery aisle. The average American spends less than $7 a day on food. Poorer Americans spend much less. We in Honolulu spend more, roughly $8 a day (2004-2005 figures), according to the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). But much of those monies–nearly 50 percent–we spend eating out.

Local organic farmers will not be immune from the impact of corn and oil prices, but the impact will likely be less severe. “Our prices may be slightly impacted, but they’re going to stay relatively the same,” says cofounder of Mala’Ai’Opio Farms (Ma’O), Kukui Maunakea-Forth. “Most of the stores carry (predominantly) off-shore organic products. Those things will go up. Locally grown (organics) have a chance to stay at around the same price, so just buy local … For us, having organic products, we will be much more competitive.”

Buy Local

Just two years ago, you had to make several trips to get a decent selection of organic products. It’s better now–organics are big business and nearly every supermarket in Honolulu now carries some organic produce and processed foods. But for local organics it’s still not convenient. Most organic farmers in Hawai’i are not large enough to meet the demands of large chains so smaller stores or farmer’s markets are still the best way to find those producers.

GO SHOPPING

The Saturday Farmers’ Market, Kapi’olani Community College, 4303 Diamond Head Road; 7:30 to 11am

Down to Earth, [www.downtoearth.org], 2525 S. King St., 7:30am to 10pm 947-7678

Kokua Market, [www.kokua.coop.com], 2643 S. King St., 8:30am to 8:30pm, 941-1922

Umeke Market, [www.umekemarket.com], 4400 Kalanianaole Hwy., 8am to 8pm Monday through Saturday, 9am to 8pm Sunday. 739-2990

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