YORK, UK (English IPS News Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 21, 2007 (IPS/GIN) -- The newly launched East Africa Organic Standard could fall at the first hurdle if the largest licensing body in the U.K. decides in November that air-freighted produce no longer qualifies as organic.

The organic standard was designed to boost exports to Europe.

African farmers have been highly critical of the U.K. Soil Association's controversial consultation on air miles, which may eventually lead the association to refuse to endorse products imported by plane. Despite the fact that less than 1 percent of all U.K. food comes by air, campaigners have said air travel is responsible for 11 percent of carbon emissions and is therefore at odds with organic principles.

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