US organic meat, poultry and fish market reaches record high in 2017
The Organic Trade Association’s (OTA) 2018 Organic Industry Survey revealed that organic meat, poultry and fish sales in the United States have grown by 17.2% in 2017 compared to the previous year, surpassing for the first time the $1 billion threshold to $1.2 billion.
Based on data presented by OTA, in 2017, the whole organic food sector has reached a sales figure of $49.4 billion, increasing by 6.4% compared to 2016.
OTA's survey also indicated that the overall growth rate of the organic food sector was slowed down by the poor increase in sales in the organic dairy and egg category, which had a growth rate situated below 9% compared to the level reported in 2016.
Still, OTA says that the growth rate of total organic food sales grew 1.1%, while organic food products are now accounting for 5.5% of the food sold in retail channels in the US.
"Organic has arrived. And everyone is paying attention,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of the Organic Trade Associaion. “Our survey shows there are now certified organic products in the marketplace representing all stages of the life cycle of a product or a company—from industry veterans to start-ups that are pioneering leading edge innovation and benefits and getting shelf space for the first time. Consumers love organic, and now we’re able to choose organic in practically every aisle in the store.”
Furthermore, OTA said that a market which faced unique challenges in 2017 was the organic egg market. Pasture-raised eggs, which clearly delineate humane practices such as outdoor access, presented stiff competition for organic eggs in 2017.
"Consumers perceive organic as requiring a number of humane practices including outdoor access for livestock and poultry. However, the requirements as written within current federal organic standards are unclear and inconsistently applied. The organic industry worked to advance the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices rule to clarify required practices, but the rule was abruptly withdrawn by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2017," OTA's news release said.
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