Organic food sales up 82% in 2 years
Details of the sales rise from €57m in the year to July 2006 were given at the Bord Bia’s national organics conference held in conjunction with the four day Terre Madre gastronomic festival which continues in Waterford until Sunday.
Bord Bia research also revealed that 45% of Irish grocery shoppers purchased an organic product in the last month — up from 20% in 2003.
More than 250 delegates from the Irish sector attended the conference held in Waterford Institute of Technology with the theme of maximising Ireland’s potential in the sector.
Bord Bia chief executive Aidan Cotter said record growth in the market mirrors corresponding increases in other European markets.
“The opportunity for Irish suppliers is even further highlighted by the finding that ‘local organic’ provides a particularly powerful cue to increase buyer interest,” he said.
The conference organised by Bord Bia in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food addressed scenarios for the future of the Irish organic sector.
Tony Reid from the Organic Unit, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, said the Organic Farming Action Plan 2008-2012 aims to convert a minimum 5% of acreage to organic farmland by 2012.
Caroline Burgess, emerging markets manager at Asda, told delegates that demand for organics is growing rapidly and supply is being met but not always from ideal locations.
“In the long term we need to source produce from as close to home or from regions easily associated with “natural not harmful” and Ireland fits this bill,” she said.
Ms Burgess said Asda, the second biggest retailer in Britain has more than doubled its range of organic products since January 2007.
