The real question is why are conventional foods so cheap. The answer is that they're produced in an unsustainable way using large quantities of oil and ignoring the damage industrial agriculture does to our ecosystem.

Are Irish consumers genuinely interested in organics?

Sales of organic food are growing at around 20% here Is there a typical organic consumer?

Organic consumers tend to be quite knowledgeable about where their food comes from and how it is produced. Some people choose organic for the taste while a high proportion of baby food sold is organic.

How does a farm become organic?

Land has to undergo a conversion period, which is normally two years, before the food produced from it can be sold as organic. During that period the land must be managed according to organic standards.

John O'Neill is business development manager of Atlantic Organics