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Reports reveal areas of growth and challenges in organic sales

The Organic Market Report published today (20th March)by the Soil Association highlights key areas of growth in online retail, independent outlets and a shift towards younger consumers during 2012. Overall, the market has dipped by 1.5% as the UK continues through its most challenging economic downturn for many decades. However, the report predicts a positive future for the UK organic market. This report coincides with the release of the Welsh Organic Producers Survey, produced by Organic Centre Wales on behalf of Welsh Government, revealing trends and future challenges for Welsh organics.

Despite the overall 1.5% dip across the UK, there are a number of positive trends happening in the Welsh organic sector. The Welsh Organic Producer Survey has revealed strong demand for organic meat, with sales of beef up by 32% and lamb up by 69% [for market ready lamb], as well as a 10.6% growth in sales of organic milk. Despite these figures, which were boosted by a number of Welsh farms completing their organic certification in 2011-12, there is a concern that the combination of pressure on organic feed prices and changes to support payments for organic farmers will force many of Wales’s organic producers to revert back to non-organic production over the next few years.

Read the full news release here

Read the Soil Associations report here

Read the summary of the Welsh Organic Producer Survey here

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