Demand For Organic Food On the Rise in Canada

Global News published an article last week about the growing organic food industry in Canada. The latest data, as reported by the Canada Organic Trade Association, shows that organic sales have tripled since 2006 to reach 3.7 billion a year. The April report also indicated that 58% of Canadians are now purchasing organics on a weekly basis.

The organic food sector is far outpacing the growth rate of other agri-food sectors. Mathew Holmes, Executive Director of the Canada Organic Trade Association sees the future potential for continued growth. “It’s probably the strongest growth food sector in North America right now in terms of consistently growing every year, even through the recession. We think it’s a great future for farmers,”  he said.  “We are encouraging people to think organic and give it a try.”  According to Holmes, one of the issues facing the sector is simply a lack of organic producers, “What we often deal with in the sector is not enough supply to meet that demand.  We’re constantly trying to find new organic farmers and suppliers.”

The Organic Council of Ontario provides education and support for farmers wishing to transition to organics. You can find information and resources on organic certification and organic standards on our website. See also the guide for Ontario Farmers on Organic certification. Feel free to contact us for further information or Ontario specific statistics on the Organic sector.

info [at] organiccouncil.ca

See The Full Global News Article Here