ORANGES - WITH A LITTLE EXTRA

There's a story on the front page of the business section of today's Bangkok Post about the use of pesticides in the production of oranges. It reads 'Oranges with reduced chemicals to feature at Chinese New Year'.
I am not naive enough to think that fruit can be cultivated without the need for chemical intervention, but if this story is meant to reassure that it's certianly not doing that for me. There are a few worrying facts, like the fact that 50 per cent of the cost of oranges apparently comes from the cost of chemicals. It's also contradictory by saying that 'safer' fruit will cost up to 30 per cent more because it will be more in demand. It might well be in demand, but surely the reduction in chemical costs means a reduction in overall cost? But I guess that's why organic produce does tend to cost more, am I right?