Sales of organic produce in Northern Ireland saw a 22% increase in 2017, according to the soil association’s 2018 organic market report. This is far higher than the 6% growth seen in the rest of the UK.
The fresh produce and meat and poultry sectors performed well, with growths of 65% and 46% respectively.
While organic produce currently represents less than 1% of the total food and drink market in NI, rising demand from consumers and continued government support provide opportunities for further market expansion.
John Carson, soil association trustee and chair of Organic NI, said: “Such a steady increase in sales demonstrates that shoppers want to see more organic products on shelf, and provides supermarkets and retailers with the confidence to stock more organic products."
Key trends
Some of the trends highlighted in the report, which accounts for the whole of the UK, include:
Supermarket sales of organic products grew by 4.2% in 2017, compared to non-organic supermarket sales which increased by just over 2%.Independent retailers increased sales of organic products by 9.7%.Sales in foodservice, including through the organic served here scheme, grew by 10.2%Clare McDermott, business development director for the soil association, said: “More and more people now understand what organic really means – both for health and for the environment – and people are placing increasing importance on knowing where their food has come from. And as online retail is able to adapt and expand quickly, there are plenty of opportunities to be a part of this growing market.”
Read more
New payments for NI organic farmers
Organic farming group assumes formal structure
Sales of organic produce in Northern Ireland saw a 22% increase in 2017, according to the soil association’s 2018 organic market report. This is far higher than the 6% growth seen in the rest of the UK.
The fresh produce and meat and poultry sectors performed well, with growths of 65% and 46% respectively.
While organic produce currently represents less than 1% of the total food and drink market in NI, rising demand from consumers and continued government support provide opportunities for further market expansion.
John Carson, soil association trustee and chair of Organic NI, said: “Such a steady increase in sales demonstrates that shoppers want to see more organic products on shelf, and provides supermarkets and retailers with the confidence to stock more organic products."
Key trends
Some of the trends highlighted in the report, which accounts for the whole of the UK, include:
Supermarket sales of organic products grew by 4.2% in 2017, compared to non-organic supermarket sales which increased by just over 2%.Independent retailers increased sales of organic products by 9.7%.Sales in foodservice, including through the organic served here scheme, grew by 10.2%Clare McDermott, business development director for the soil association, said: “More and more people now understand what organic really means – both for health and for the environment – and people are placing increasing importance on knowing where their food has come from. And as online retail is able to adapt and expand quickly, there are plenty of opportunities to be a part of this growing market.”
Read more
New payments for NI organic farmers
Organic farming group assumes formal structure
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