The world is embracing organic trade
  • Organic farming has been shown to increase food production by up to 300% on individual farms in developing countries.
  • Organic systems may be more stable and resilient in response to climate disruption based on comparisons with their conventional counterparts under stress conditions such as severe drought and flooding.
  • Organic agriculture is practiced in almost all countries of the world.
  • In 2006, 30.4 million hectares were managed organically by more than 700,000 farms.
  • On a global level, the organic land area increased by almost 1.8 million hectares between 2005 and 2006.
  • Global demand for organic products remains robust, with sales increasing by over five billion US dollars a year.
  • International sales were 38.6 billion US dollars in 2006, doubling that of 2000.
  • The global organic food industry has been experiencing acute supply shortages since 2005. Exceptionally high growth rates have led supply to tighten in almost every sector of the organic food industry.
  • The market for organic products is valued at $28 billion, and includes a full spectrum of agricultural products.
  • Organic agriculture contributes to food security by a combination of many features, most notably by: increasing yields in low-input areas, conserving biodiversity and nature resources on the farm and in the surrounding area, producing safe and varied food, being sustainable in the long term.
  • Organic farming enhances soil structures, conserves water and ensures the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
  • New research from The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) released in 2008 reveals that consumers are increasingly incorporating organic into their lifestyles. Total household penetration across six product categories has risen from 57 percent in 2006 to 59 percent in 2007. The research also showed that the number of core users has increased from 16 percent in 2006 to 18 percent in 2007.
  • There is growing evidence of the beneficial effects of organic practices on the global environment: Research at the Rodale Institute has shown that organic practices can remove about 7,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air each year and sequester it which is a powerful tool in countering the effects of global warming.
  • Organic farms do not consume or release synthetic pesticides into the environment — some of which have the potential to harm soil, water and local terrestrial and aquatic wildlife.
  • Organic farms are better than conventional farms at sustaining diverse ecosystems, i.e., populations of plants and insects, as well as animals.
  • The biggest study ever of organic food was completed in 2007 and found that organic fruit and vegetables contain up to 40% more antioxidants than conventional equivalents, and that the figure was 60% for organic milk.