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Market
As the acreage grows in size, so does the organic market. The total value in 2002 was about USD 15 to 25 billion. Market data is still not reliable, there are too many inflated figures, US data, for example, does not correspond to the US organic production area and level of imports.
Growth patterns for countries and for products differ a lot. In countries like Denmark, Austria, Switzerland and Sweden the organic market share is in the range of 4-6 percent of the total food market, while it is only some 2-4 percent in Germany, UK, France and Italy. The market shares for different products can vary a lot within a country. In Denmark for example the market share for organic milk is 30 percent while it is just one percent for organic pork. Likewise, organic coffee sales make up 6 percent or the coffee market in Sweden but for organic tea, the market share is less than one percent.
There are also a number of developing countries that now have local organic markets. The value of the domestic organic market in Brazil is estimated to 200 million USD. Argentina, Costa Rica, China and Thailand are other examples of quite successful local market development.
Production
It is not possible to make simple statements about the production levels and potentials in organic farming. A rough overview of how a conversion to organic agriculture will affect yields shows the following:
- In industrial agriculture (Western Europe, US etc.) conversion to organic agriculture normally leads to lower yields, often in the range of 15 %.
- In Green Revolution agriculture (irrigated lands in Asia, Mexico) conversion to organic agriculture leads to equal yields.
- In less developed agriculture (small farmers, traditional agriculture) organic farming leads to increased yields.
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