Organic retail sector growing despite tough times, says Sargent

THE organic retail sector in Ireland continues to grow despite the difficult economic times, Minister of State Trevor Sargent declared yesterday.

He told a National Organic Training Skillnet (NOTS) conference in Birr, Co Offaly, that sales of organic produce rose by 82% in the two-year period to July 2008, and now stands at e104 million.

Mr Sargent said in 2006 the percentage retail spend on organic food was 0.9% of total food sales. This had increased to 1.4% last year. While the growth rate has slowed, it is stillin double-digit figures.