Organic revenue breaks through the 2012 7 billion mark

BÖLW annual press conference 2013 - policy to solve eco-Bremse

"The organic market is like a car with consumers as a powerful motor and the political framework as handbrake. Now, the policy must release the brakes and pull out all the stops in order to accelerate the growth of organic farming, "says Felix Prinz commented to Lowenstein, president of the Federation of the Organic Food Industry (BÖLW) the organic market data for the year 2012. After the calculation of the Agricultural Market Information Company (AMI) coordinated the working group Biomarkt * 1 saw the German organic market 2012 sales by 6%, reaching a total market volume of 7,04 billion euros (2011: 6,64 billion €). Its share of the total food market in Germany will thus increase from 3,7% in 2011 on 3,9% in 2012.

"The consumer demand for environmentally and friendly produced organic food is still growing and the potential is far from exhausted," said Alexander Gerber, Managing Director of BÖLW. All sales outlets have of the market growth; so the food retail (LEH) increased its organic sales by 6%, the organic food trade to 7% and other sales outlets to 4% * 2. The distribution of revenue by sales outlets thus remains constant: 50% of organic sales come from LEH, 31% of the organic food trade and 18% to other outlets.

The market growth is offset by the persistently weaker development of organic farms and surfaces. According to current estimates, the organic area increased by about 2012 27.902 ha at 1.043.528 ha, representing an increase of 2,7% over 2011. The number of organic farms grew within one year of 22.506 23.096 on businesses, an increase of almost 600 businesses or 2,6%. The increase in area is about greater than in the EU-organic farms with estimated 3,0% for union bound plants with 2,6%. "Competing for leased land, a disproportionate promotion of biogas, no reliable statements on the organic farming promotion policy and the high prices for conventional commodities in 2012 are an expansion of organic farming continues in the way," said Lowenstein.

With the recent decisions of the EU Council on the reform of EU agricultural policy Germany now has the means at hand to counter. Lowenstein calls: "The federal government must make use of the opportunity now to transfer 15% of the funds from the first to the second pillar in order to advance agri-environmental measures and the development of organic farming." Only in this way can the much needed ecological conversion of the entire Agriculture initiated.

Notes:

The current situation on the organic market and the development of organic agriculture are described in detail in the BÖLW brochure "Facts and Figures - The organic sector 2013" illustrated that can be downloaded immediately at www.boelw.de and available in print version.

The BÖLW has proposed measures for the conversion of the food industry in a summary paper for five key areas. This paper, see www.boelw.de/ernaehrungswende0.html 

* 1 belong to the working group at: Agricultural Market Information Company (AMI), Agromilagro Research, bioVista, Federation of the Organic Food Industry (BÖLW), Society for Consumer Research (GfK), Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hamm of Kassel University, Klaus Braun Communications Consulting, Prof . Dr. Paul Michel of the University Weihenstephan-Triesdorf and Nielsen.

* 2 organic food trade including farm shops with purchase at wholesale or more than 50.000 € turnover; Food retailing including drugstores; Other sales outlets: bakeries, butchers, fruit / vegetable shops, farmer's markets, farm gate sales, box schemes, specialized retailers, gas stations.

Source: Nürnberg [BÖLW]