when i look at prices for raw materials then natural growing plants bring around 1/3 of the nic of alpha ores per hour. so even without easy mode you dont realy get paied well for harvesting, and is no reliable source of income. that might be because the low requirements of natural growing plants. so doing it for that might be not worth your ep and time. mining is doning the job quite better.
now the only remaiming aspect is noralgis. and there is realy is a pain. you have to buy your plants, you have to cultivate them (normaly only at a save place (usualy a gamma base that costed a bit of money as well), and now you have to watch your harveters all the time. no other gathering method has this. mining just works and just stops when the tile is done. its not that the entire field gets vaporated if you extract too much from one tile...
epriton and all other liquids is even more easy mode. just suck on one time till field is gone.
so i wouldnt mind getting a bit more easy mode for a already underpriced profession.