FOOD airfreighted into the UK from Africa will be stripped of its organic status, in a move by the Soil Association that has been met with much opposition.

The association, which certifies 70 per cent of the UK’s £1.9bn organic food sector wants all airfreighted food to meet tough ethical trade standards.

But the Trade and Development ministry fears this will affect third world farmers, as well as eliminating the use of airfreight across the sector.

Anna Bradley, chair of the Soil Association’s standards board, said: “It is neither sustainable nor responsible to encourage poorer farmers to be reliant on air freight.”

The association has decided not to remove organic status from all airfreighted food saying that would be detrimental to trade.