Costs associated with higher loss
Organic farmers don’t use chemicals to reduce loss so their losses are higher, which costs the farmer more and the increase is than passed onto the consumer. Without the use of chemical preservatives, organic foods face a shorter storage time and shelf life.
Demand overwhelms supply for organic
Organic farmland only accounts for 0.9% of total worldwide farmland, whereas conventional farms have the farmland, supply, and subsidies to keep costs down.
No chemicals means more labor
Without the use of chemicals, organic growers have to substitute labor and intensive management to produce their crops which is a wise choice for the health of the plane
Fertilizer cost more money for organic crops
Organic farmers use compost and animal manure, which is more expensive to ship, for fertilizer versus the less expensive, less natural fertilizers, and more chemicals used on most conventional farms
Crop rotation in place of chemicals or monoculture methods
Organic farmers use “cover crops,” which add nitrogen to the soil to benefit succeeding crops, in place of chemicals or a monoculture type method. Conventional farmers can use every acre each year to grow the most profitable crops, monoculture or not, and not have to leave time or space for a cover crop.
Handling costs post-harvest
Shipping costs both in frequency and bulk are dramatically increased for organic crops since they are handled and shipped in smaller quantities. Organic farms tend to produce less, are located farther from cities, and cannot generally be shipped with conventional products.