Demand for organic produce booms

THE booming organic industry has grown a significant 88 per cent in just seven years.

THRIVING: The organic industry is now worth $2.4 billion.

THE booming organic industry has grown a significant 88 per cent in just seven years.

According to the 2018 Australian Organic Market report, the nation’s organic industry is worth $2.4 billion, with annual exports of $700 million.

“Consumers are now having an increasing interest in their health,” Australian Organic general manager Niki Ford said.

“With technology at their fingertips they have more and more information available to them about food.”

The strongest performing agriculture commodities in Australia include fruit, vegetables, nuts, eggs, poultry and meat.

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In the fruit, vegetable and nut sector, vegetables dominate, with three quarters of the sector value.

“Fruit and vegetables are usually the general point of entry for consumers to begin organic diets,” Ms Ford said.

Thorpdale organic farmers Tony and Wendy Robins began their organic vegetable operation 10 years ago.

“We decided to become an organic farm for environmental and health reasons,” Mr Robins said.

He said growing organic produce was a “hard slog” but was definitely a growing trend.

“Thorpdale is known for its potatoes and a few years ago there was only one large-scale organic potato farm,” he said.

“Now there are five.”

The report found Victoria had the most organic dairy producers, with 62 per cent of the sector’s total.

Geelong company Organic Dairy Farmers of Australia recently welcomed a string of Tasmanian dairy farmers to the group.

Findings showed the export scene for organic agriculture was strong, with notable growth in tonnage and value over the last three years.

“Australia is known for having a clean and green environment which the global market trust,” Ms Ford said.